Fiber-Blog

The Benefits of Chocolate, Wine, Coffee and Tea

2011-10-27T10:16:00.001-07:00

Americans seem more prone to guilt than other cultures. Especially when it comes to what we eat. Why is it that people in France and Italy get to eat rich, delicious foods, don't obsess, and are healthier and thinner than most Americans? (And please, don't tell me it's solely because Europeans walk more than Americans, because, while it is true, Americans work out obsessively - Europeans not so much.)

I think the key might be eating more foods we love. And it's not just me: studies show that people who consume dark chocolate, wine (red AND white), tea, and coffee tend to be healthier than those who abstain. Not to mention that coffee consumption has been shown to ward off depression in several studies.

Harvard researchers recently published an article in which they reviewed no less than 24 previous studies investigating the relationship between dark chocolate (or cocoa) and "cardioprotective" effects. Studies showed cocoa, often known as cocao, consumption significantly improves blood pressure, insulin resistance, lipid profiles, and flow-mediated vascular dilation (FMD). Specifically, people who consumed more dark, cocao-containing chocolate had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol, higher HDL (good) cholesterol, as well as better blood circulation, significantly reducing risk of heart attack and stroke. (Read the Journal of Nutrition study abstract here.)

While flow-mediated vascular dilation sounds unfamiliar, it is a way to describe blood flow and circulation throughout the body. Better circulation means more oxygen and nutrient flow to the brain, making us more alert and more likely to have a better memory over the long run. It also means more oxygen to the joint tissues, and thus less likelihood of joint pain. And of course, we can't disregard the importance of blood flow to the reproductive organs, meaning a significantly reduced risk of impotence. Finally, better blood flow to the parts of the body that produce white blood cells result in a stronger immunity to disease, such as cancer.

Flavonoids, the same compounds found in dark chocolate, coffee, tea, and wine, are also found at high levels in berries and grapes.

Forks Over Knives

2011-09-18T22:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe you haven't heard of this movie, but it's incredibly informative, inspirational, and just plain riveting -- and yes, it's all about how our diet either causes disease or prevents and reverses chronic illness. Even though I had read it all before, I couldn't stop watching!

Best yet: it's a movie you can stream on Netflix! Please watch it and let me hear your thoughts! It's called Forks Over Knives.

My favorite (paraphrased) quote from a heart surgeon interviewed in the movie:

"Some people say the plant-based diet I propose to prevent and reverse heart disease is 'extreme.'" Do you know what's really extreme? Cutting open a person's chest cavity and leg, removing blood vessels from the leg to transplant near the heart (a cardiac bypass)."

Sometimes we forget that what's "common" is actually quite extreme!

Fiber Prevents Breast Cancer

2011-09-14T21:27:00.000-07:00

This article published in the Sept. issue of The Journal of Clinical Nutrition is mind-blowing (click here to read the article: Dietary fiber intake and risk of breast cancer: a meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies). When we think about how many women (and men) develop breast cancer, and how much money is raised to "cure" this cancer, let's not forget that our diet can actually prevent it in the first place! Hurray for fiber!

Here's the lowdown:

Researchers reviewed 10 studies of dietary fiber intake and breast cancer incidence. When averaged, the collective research demonstrated that people who consumed the most dietary fiber (not supplemental fiber you stir into water or take in a pill) had an 11% lower risk of breast cancer incidence compared to those who consumed the least fiber. This statistic applied to people of various ethnic groups and age categories. In fact, findings revealed every 10 gram (daily) increase in dietary fiber corresponded to a 7% reduction in risk of breast cancer. In other words, folks who consumed an average of 35 grams of fiber per day had a 7% lower risk of breast cancer than those consuming an average of 25 grams per day, and thus a 14% lower risk than those consuming 15 grams per day... you get the picture.

Remember that fiber binds with toxic substances and removes them from the body. Toxins produce free radicals that are linked with cancer cells. Also, fiber produces beneficial intestinal flora that increase the body's immune function involved in fighting cancer. Not to mention, high fiber foods are loaded with antioxidants that protect against cancer.

Fruit, dried fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans, lentils, peas, nuts & seeds) are powerful cancer fighters!

Reality Response

2011-02-13T17:57:00.001-08:00

I'm excited to take this time to respond to some of the requests of my readers and students.

Jennifer asked me to respond to an article in the New York Times a few weeks ago about calcium and vitamin D (http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/25/health/25brody.html?_r=1&emc=eta1), which begins:

"The new daily recommendations for calcium and vitamin D, issued in November by the Institute of Medicine, have left many people wondering whether they are getting enough, or perhaps too much, in their diets and supplements.

The institute’s expert committee, which included bone specialists, concluded that most people don’t need supplements of these critical nutrients and warned of serious health risks from the high doses some now take — including kidney stones and heart disease linked to calcium supplements, and the very falls and fractures that vitamin D is meant to protect against."

Unfortunately, the article goes on to simply tell us how to derive our daily recommendations for calcium and vitamin D from dairy products and supplement pills! The author does not address the warnings by the Institute of Medicine's expert committee that high doses of calcium are linked with kidney stones and heart disease (based on two very large, separate studies), or too much vitamin D causes bone fractures.

There is a curious phenomenon that takes place with nutrients in our diet: very high levels of a nutrient (such as calcium or vitamin D) often have the same effect as a shortage of said nutrient. There is a fine line between not enough and too much, when it comes to vitamins and minerals, defined as "deficiency" and "toxicity". We really need to be aware of the dangers of nutrient toxicity, which is difficult to do when we only seem to hear about the dangers of deficiency from the media (I'm sure this makes the supplement industry very happy).

My response to this article is simply this: listen to the experts! I agree that most people do not need supplements of these nutrients, but simply need to eat a healthy (that is, mostly plant-based) diet, avoiding calcium losers like high levels of animal protein, soda, sodium, and alcohol and coffee. Also, since vitamin D is fat-soluble, our body can store it for months at a time. Just make sure to get a small amount of sun exposure daily when possible, even when it's cloudy or cold.

******

Next, one of my current students asked me to make a list of foods I buy at Trader Joe's. I think this is a wonderful request as TJ's is a mixed bag of healthy and very not-healthy foods. The following is a near exhaustive list of what I purchase at Trader Joe's, mainly due to the excellent prices compared to health food stores:

1) Low-sodium vegetable broth (in the boxes)
2) Organic, unsweetened soy milk (in the refrigerated cartons)
3) Tempeh (in the "fake meat", refrigerated section near the cheese)
4) Organic avocados (Trader Joe's avocados tend to be the best in my experience)
5) Whole wheat flour
6) Recycled Toilet Paper
7) Organic Hemp Protein Powder (I sprinkle on my granola in the mornings - found in the vitamin section)
8) Frozen blueberries, raspberries and corn (in separate bags!)
9) Sprouted Wheat Berry Bread
10) Organic Peanut Butter

Things I almost never would buy at TJ's include produce (besides avocados and bananas), since I do not find the fruit and vegetables to be fresh, or pre-made frozen dinners.

******

Finally, a another student asked for an example of a day's worth of fibrous meals and snacks that would give us 25-40 grams/fiber. I'll list some typical meals for me...

Breakfast: granola (5 grams fiber) + 1 scoop Hemp Protein Powder (11 grams fiber) with soymilk

Lunch: 2 black bean burritos with salsa and avocado (14 grams fiber)

Dinner: 2 Vegetarian "Reuben" sandwiches made with tempeh, sauerkraut, Thousand Island dressing, swiss cheese on whole grain bread (11 grams fiber)

Snack: 1 Orange (4 grams fiber)

Conclusion: I eat a LOT of fiber! Wow!

A Dinosaur Recipe

2011-01-30T19:48:00.001-08:00

So here I am a nutritionist married to the PICKIEST man in the world (and of course, our daughter just might be the pickiest kid ever). I mean, the man doesn't like greens of any sort, including spinach, or any root vegetable besides potatoes and carrots. Born & raised in California, my husband is a meat and potato man.

I tell you this, so you will understand the magnitude of my joy when I tell you I found a recipe for kale salad that he doesn't just eat -- he likes. And, in case you were wondering, I love it! If you, or someone you know, doesn't like greens, just see what happens when you make this.

This recipe is by natural chef & fellow nutritionist Jennifer Brewer. You can sign up for Jennifer's weekly email recipes - including a shopping list - at www.nourishingnutrition.com.

Avocado Kale Salad

1 head Lacinato (Dinosaur) Kale, very thinly sliced
2 avocadoes, chopped
2 TBSP olive oil
2 TBSP lemon juice
2 TBSP soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp ground cumin

Gather all ingredients and slice kale and chop avocado. Massage kale with sea salt for 5 minutes (kale "breaks down and softens when you massage it, so it tastes cooked with the nutrition of raw). Stir remaining ingredients together in a big bowl until it gets nice and creamy. Keep refrigerated until ready to eat.

Thank you Jennifer!

Too Good Not To Be True

2010-12-22T10:27:00.000-08:00

I have a new reason to be thankful this year, and I am too excited not to share it with you, dear blog reader.

Yesterday I opened an email from a man who attended my lectures and bought my book (Free to Eat) over a year ago. I never met him (to my knowledge), but apparently he was persuaded to change his diet. At the time, he weighed close to 400 pounds and as you can imagine, had unhealthy levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure.

To date, Andrew has lost --- wait for it --- 175 pounds. Yes, the number is correct, he's literally half the man he used to be. And his health? I'll let you read what he has to say for yourself:

Hi Bronwyn,

Okay, I feel it's finally time that I can contact you and let you know about yet another success story thanks in large part to the seminars you gave. Thus far, by following your recommendations both in your seminars and in your book, I have lost approximately 175 lbs (from approx. 385 to now approx. 210) and am feeling great. AND, it really wasn't that difficult. Of course, it wasn't "easy" per se, but with some discipline and will power I've been very successful. I have also lowered all my "bad" numbers... you could say that my numbers are not just good, but excellent. Thanks to you I'm healthy again and feel optimistic about my future for the first time in years. Again, THANK YOU for your work. It has given me a new lease on life.

******

What can I say? I am humbled and inspired. Life is precious, and good health is compulsory. Thank you Andrew, may your message bring health to others!

Move Over Fish

2010-11-02T19:39:00.001-07:00

Good news for those of us who don't eat fish! Although fish has been touted as a health food for the past 5 years, some folks are concerned about the level of mercury and other toxins (namely polychlorinated biphenals - or PCB's - and pesticides). Other factors such as cholesterol and homocysteine - which both contribute to atherosclerosis - are concerns for others who eschew fish. Then there are people like my husband, who find fish to taste, well, fishy.

A new study from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (read abstract here) has found that Omega-3 fatty acids from plants may be just as efficient as those from fish. Researchers from the School of Medicine Health Policy and Practice in England examined the diets and fatty acid status of 14,422 men and women aged 39–78 years old. While they found fish-eaters consumed higher levels of Omega-3 fatty acids in their diet, non-fish eaters had similar levels of Omega-3 in their blood as those who consumed fish regularly.

The researchers conclude that if other studies have similar findings, "it could have implications for fish requirements". In other words, confirmed by further research, fish would be recommended less for its Omega-3 content.

For a little background on this subject, plant-based foods contain a fatty acid called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) that has been widely debated for its rate of conversion into the Omega-3 fatty acids that are renown for preventing disease and boosting immunity. These fatty acids are known as DHA and EPA. Some studies show that ALA does convert efficiently into DHA and EPA, while others do not. This study falls into the latter, and I believe we will see more to verify this in the future.

Here's to Coffee, Gentlemen... and Ladies

2010-10-12T16:56:00.001-07:00

As a nutritionist and coffee lover, I am always looking for ways to justify coffee consumption. Don't get me wrong -- I only drink one or one-and-a-half cups (that's an 8 oz cup, not 16) a day. Too much coffee doesn't just contribute to anxiety, but can lead to high blood pressure and bone loss, since caffeine is a diuretic, causing calcium and mineral loss in our urine. But something so aromatic and stimulating can't be 100% bad either.

So that's why I'm thrilled to share a new study from Colombia University, published in the Journal of Nutrition, Sept. 2010, that found coffee to be helpful in promoting weight loss in overweight men (sorry ladies, nothing for us in this study).

Researchers studied 54 overweight and obese men and women, aged 19-65 for 12 weeks. Participants consumed beverages twice a day either containing compounds (called mannooligosaccharides, or MOS) found in coffee, or without. In men who consumed the MOS beverages, there was a significant reduction in total body volume, total adipose tissue (body fat) and total subcutaneous adipose tissue (fat under the skin).

Past studies have found MOS to help with weight loss for both men and women. But don't go overboard: dehydration from excess caffeine slows down our metabolism, making us more likely to gain weight.

Here's to healthy old habits!

New Stuff on Soy

2010-09-21T13:45:00.003-07:00

I don't know about you, but I've felt inundated these past 5 years or so with warnings about the estrogens (phyto-estrogens, mainly isoflavones) in soy foods. Although most studies show the isoflavones in soy to be beneficial - helping fight breast and reproductive cancer, for example - the hype keeps coming.

So I found it interesting to stumble across this study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (September 2010), which found young girls who consumed the most isoflavones entered puberty significantly later than their counterparts who had lower levels of isoflavones.

This makes sense, since plant estrogens, such as isoflavones, act very differently in the body than real estrogen. When our real estrogen levels are high, plant estrogens (or phyto-estrogens) block the cell receptor sites from estrogen uptake, lowering total estrogen levels. This would explain why girls who had higher levels of soy estrogens entered puberty later - as opposed to earlier - than those with lower levels.

In the study, isoflavone levels had no effect on the timing of puberty for boys. To view the abstract of the study for yourself, click here.

So let's all take a big sigh of relief that soy will not cause early puberty in girls, which leads to a higher risk of breast cancer later in life.

Fruit and Grains Protect Against Heart Disease

2010-08-13T11:18:00.003-07:00

I know, I know, another blog post about fiber! Yet it is so remarkable to read a published study of how fiber fights heart disease -- to know there is a way for Americans to PREVENT heart disease. How can I not share it?

This week's study comes from the August 2010 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. To read the abstract of the study directly, click here.

Researchers in Japan studied the association between dietary fiber and death from heart attack and stroke in 58,730 Japanese men and women age 40-79. They followed the participants 14 years and found those who consumed the most fiber (total fiber, soluble and insoluble) were significantly less likely to have strokes, heart attacks or other signs of cardiovascular disease. Men and women who consumed the most total fiber were 20% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease (CVD). Researchers found fiber from fruit and whole grains to be especially protective against CVD.

I particularly like this study because we often associate fiber only with vegetables, and yet fruit is a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber as well - and clearly is powerful to protect against heart disease and stroke. And who doesn't like fruit? Remember that dried fruit is also a great source of fiber and other nutrients.

Here's a little reminder about why fiber (from food) is SO important, and the difference between soluble and insoluble fiber:

Insoluble Fiber

* moves bulk through the intestines
* controls and balances the pH (acidity) in the intestines, preventing harmful microbes from growing, and producing cancer-causing substances. Also prevents Leaky Gut Syndrome which leads to auto-immune disorders.
* promotes regular bowel movement and prevents constipation
* removes toxic waste through colon in less time

Food Sources of Insoluble Fiber

* Vegetables such as green beans and dark green leafy vegetables
* Fruit skins and root vegetable skins
* Whole-wheat products
* Wheat bran
* Corn bran
* Seeds & Nuts

Soluble Fiber

* binds with fatty acids
* prolongs stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed more slowly
* binds with water and increases satiety when eating
* lowers total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the Bad cholesterol)
* regulates blood sugar for people with diabetes

Sources of Soluble Fiber

* Oat/Oat bran
* Dried beans and peas
* Nuts
* Barley
* Flax seed
* Fruits such as oranges and apples
* Vegetables such as carrots
* Psyllium husk

Many foods contain both soluble and insoluble fiber, so it's best just to aim for consuming at least 25 grams of fiber in food each day. And yes, fruit is an essential part of those fiber grams!

Meat, Poultry and Weight Gain

2010-08-06T11:18:00.001-07:00

A study published in the August 2010 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has linked meat and poultry consumption with weight gain.

Researchers followed 374,000 European men and women between 25-70 years old for 5 years, recording total meat, red meat, poultry and processed meat and weight gain. Potential confounding factors such as age and physical activity were also studied so as not to confuse the study results.

Total meat, red meat, poultry and processed meat consumption was linked with weight gain in men and women who were both overweight and normal weight. In fact, researchers found an increase in meat intake of 250 grams/day (one steak at 450 kcal) would lead to a 2-kg (4 pounds) increase in weight gain over 5 years, even when total calories stayed the same.

In the words of the researchers: "Our results suggest that a decrease in meat consumption may improve weight management".

Snack Away Obesity

2010-07-28T14:10:00.001-07:00

I am very excited to report a new finding published in the June 2010 edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. I am excited because it is good news for all of us - and it is so easy!

The article is entitled "Snacking is associated with reduced risk of overweight and reduced abdominal obesity in adolescents", and researchers found that the more frequently children aged 12-18 years old snacked throughout the day, the less likely they were not only to be obese but to have excess abdominal fat.

Kids who consumed 2 snacks a day were 63% less likely to be obese and 61% less likely to have abdominal obesity (excess weight in the abdominal region) than children who did not snack. More astoundingly, those who snacked 4 or more times a day were 40% less likely to be obese and 36% less likely to have abdominal obesity than kids who did not snack.

Every time we eat, our metabolism increases in speed, burning more calories. This is called the thermogenic effect of food. And as I always say, the best appetite suppressant is FOOD. When we snack often, we are keeping our blood sugar levels steady, protecting ourselves from becoming overly hungry and therefore overeating later. So although this particular study focused on teens, snacking has obesity-protecting effects on people of all ages.

We are born with an innate desire to eat small, frequent meals. From babies to preschoolers: they eat often. When we grow older, we often stop snacking from inconvenience and hurried lives. Let's make time for snacks again. Great snacks are fruit, dried fruit, nuts and seeds of all types, and trail mix. Also, carrots and celery with hummus and small sandwiches (like half of a sandwich). Or instead of eating an entire meal at once, eating it in two halves, three hours apart.

So snack away, and keep that metabolism working.

(To read the abstract of the study for yourself, click here.)

Scary Sweeteners

2010-07-13T14:14:00.001-07:00

When I speak about artificial sweeteners, most people seem to know they are not "healthful", but few know why.

A study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (June 30, 2010 - read the abstract here) gives us some insight as to the danger of artificial sweeteners - on newborn babies. Now, before you dismiss this blog post (perhaps you are not pregnant), remember that if artificial sweeteners have ill effects on babies in the womb, they will also have them elsewhere - although it may take longer, or be more difficult, to detect in adults.

This study, conducted in the Denmark, followed almost 60,000 pregnant women, accessing their intake of soft drinks containing artificial sweeteners, sugar-sweetened soft drinks and preterm delivery.

Researchers found women who consumed one or more servings of artificially sweetened soft drinks per day were 38% more likely to give birth prematurely compared to women who consumed no artificially sweetened soft drinks. Women who consumed 4 or more artificially sweetened soft drinks per day were 78% more likely to have a premature birth vs. women who did not consume said soft drinks. (There was no association between sugar-sweetened soft drinks and preterm births.)

In the words of the researchers: "Daily intake of artificially sweetened soft drinks may increase the risk of preterm delivery."

If you know anyone who is pregnant, please forward this post along to them. For the rest of us, let's allow this study to reinforce the notion that the chemicals in artificial sweeteners can be detrimental to our health. If artificial sweeteners can have such a powerful effect on the health of babies, we should beware of their effect on us as well.

Yes, That's Homocysteine

2010-06-28T21:34:00.000-07:00

Most people over age 30 know their blood pressure and cholesterol levels fairly well. But how many even know what homocysteine is, much less their blood level of homocysteine?

Doctors don't give routine tests for homocysteine because - get this - there are currently no pharmaceutical drugs to lower this dangerous compound. And dangerous is an understatement. According to Dr. Ben Kim, homocysteine levels are believed to be one of the best objective indicators of how long you are going to live.

A high blood level of homocysteine is a reliable risk factor for each of the following:

•Myocardial infarction (heart attack)
•Cerebrovascular accident (stroke)
•Cancer
•Diabetes
•Thyroid-related health challenges
•Neurological conditions like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's
•Depression
•Infertility
•Chronic Pain
•Digestive Disorders

I spoke with a woman who had recently experienced a stroke. She told me her cholesterol, triglycerides and blood pressure levels were all normal. Apparently, the only indicator for her stroke was her very high level of homocysteine.

In other words, we should know what our homocysteine level is and we should know how to keep it low.

Which is why I delighted to see a study about how diet influences homocysteine (click here to read the abstract from the Journal of Nutrition).

Researchers examined the diets and homocysteine levels of 872 men and women aged 18 to 60 years old. Based on their diet pattern, participants were categorized into diet "groups". Those who consumed the most plant protein were significantly less likely to have high levels of homocysteine, with a higher intake of plant protein having a protective role against homocysteine.

Conversely, the high animal protein diet was positively associated with high homocysteine levels, or "hyperhomocystemia". In fact, participants who consumed the most animal protein were over twice as likely to have high homocysteine levels as those who consumed the least.

According to researchers: "A diet rich in fruits and uncooked vegetables decreased the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia, whereas diets rich in red meat, chicken, and tea with milk were positively associated with hyperhomocysteinemia (high homocysteine levels)."

So find out what your homocysteine level is - and take action as necessary!

News From Fiber-Girl

2010-06-21T16:58:00.000-07:00

I've often been asked to do one-on-one nutrition counseling, but could never find the time. Now that my daughter is school-age, I'm finding I not only have the time, but the desire to help people at a more practical level.

The good news is we don't have to live in the same region to do personalized nutrition counseling: email and the phone are great! So here's my official announcement to all of you, dear blog readers. (By the way, if you are interested, email me quickly, as I am only taking on a limited amount of clients.)

******
Do you feel like you need extra help and accountability with your nutrition habits?
Need support and personalized advice – or someone to bounce questions off of?
Want a partner to help you lose weight and improve your health?

Fiber-Girl to the rescue!

I am now offering personalized nutrition counseling for individuals and families via phone and internet!

You can choose from a one-time, 45-minute consultation ($45) or choose from the following packages:
• Two 45-minute sessions in one month ($80)
• Four 45-minute sessions over 2 months ($150)
• Six 45-minute sessions over 3 months ($220)
• Eight 45-minute sessions over 4 months ($290)

Packages include weekly recipes and copy of Free to Eat book

Email me for a free 20-minute phone consultation to see if this is for you! Bronwyn@fibergirl.com

Meat and Breast Cancer

2010-06-16T18:03:00.001-07:00

Lord knows, there's more than enough breast cancer in the world. And we know that girls who enter puberty early are at greater risk for breast cancer. Now a study published in the journal of Public Health Nutrition tells us how diet influences the time of puberty onset...

Researchers at the University of Bristol, UK, followed young girls throughout their early lives, reviewing their diets at age 3, 7 and 10 years old. Girls who consumed the most meat were more likely to enter puberty early (before age 12) compared with those who consumed the least meat. Specifically, girls who ate the most meat at age 7 were 75% more likely to begin puberty before age 12 than the girls who ate the least meat.

In the words of the researchers: "These data suggest that higher intakes of protein and meat in early to mid-childhood may lead to earlier menarche. This may have implications for the lifetime risk of breast cancer and osteoporosis."

Here's to preventing breast cancer early!

The Power of Pistachios

2010-06-07T14:44:00.001-07:00

A new study in the Journal of Nutrition this month (June 2010), reveals the power of pistachios.

Researchers put 28 adults with high cholesterol on three different diets to observe the effect of pistachios on blood cholesterol, specifically LDL, or bad, cholesterol that had been oxidized. Oxidized LDL cholesterol is what creates plaque in arteries and is most associated with heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. (Free radicals cause LDL cholesterol to become oxidized, and so antioxidant nutrients also help prevent oxidation.)

Study participants followed a lower-fat diet without pistachios, then switched to a higher-fat diet with one or two servings of pistachios each day. When the pistachios were consumed, participants had significantly higher blood levels of antioxidant nutrients lutein, alpha-carotene and β-carotene, as well as lower levels of oxidized and total LDL cholesterol.

Including pistachios in a healthy diet prevents heart disease and stroke by lowering oxidized LDL cholesterol and naturally increasing antioxidant nutrients. And since studies show pistachios and other nuts don't cause weight gain (refer to past blog post More Nuts Please), we are free to eat pistachios!

All I Can Say...

2010-05-31T16:56:00.001-07:00

It's so nice to receive good news every once in a while, don't you agree? The following is an email I received a few weeks ago from a man who was kind enough to let me know how my book (Free to Eat) has helped him. This kind of feedback keeps me going - and I hope it inspires you, dear reader, as well.

******
"An old friend of mine suggested I read your book and try
your diet.

I've lost 30 pounds in five months, having never felt hungry, and I feel
really, really good. What a life-changer. It's rather amazing.

Another friend of mine has lost forty pounds, and feels much better as well.

People have noticed the startling change in me, and are curious, so I talk
about your diet to everyone who asks. I just wanted to formally write and
say something like 'Holy Cow!', and thank you for this brilliant concept.

Before the diet, high triglycerides plagued me. Now, I'm well within
healthy parameters, and my doctor is extremely pleased.

You're saving lives. I'm a big fan."

******

All I can say is "WOW"! I am so grateful to read this. It makes me glad I wrote my book!

Also, one a few months back, I spoke at a conference I had spoken at the year before. A woman came up to me and said, "Thank you for speaking last year. I bought your book and did it. It works - I've lost 50 pounds and kept it off."

It never ceases to amaze me. A high fiber diet really works for weight loss and so much more. Thank you for reading my blog and celebrating with me.

If you don't have a copy of Free to Eat, you can preview and/or buy it at www.fiber-girl.com - and it's currently on sale!

Nuts!

2010-05-25T14:32:00.001-07:00

If you didn't know nuts protect against heart disease, stay in the dark no more. Yet another study has shown the power of nuts to heal.

A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (May 2010), titled
Nut Consumption and Blood Lipid Levels reviewed 25 studies in which nuts were consumed by both men and women. To read the abstract yourself, click here.

Eating nuts (of all types) was shown to lower total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, while raising HDL (good) cholesterol. Nut consumption was also shown to lower triglyceride levels in people with high blood triglycerides. The higher a person's LDL cholesterol, the more nuts lowered blood lipids. The more nuts eaten, the greater the effect.

The lead author of the study, Dr. Joan Sabaté, says the power of nuts to lower blood lipids are multiple, since nuts are high in unsaturated fats - including Omega-3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fat. In addition, “(nuts) are the richest source of protein in the plant kingdom, and they also contain fiber and phytosterols, which compete with cholesterol to be absorbed. All these nutrients have been demonstrated to lower cholesterol.”

For more good news on nuts (like how people who consume the most nuts are the least likely to be overweight), read my past blog post More Nuts Please.

Fruit and Vegetables?

2010-05-18T12:07:00.001-07:00

In case you missed it, yesterday's headlines reported a study linking pesticide intake and ADHD in children. Unfortunately, reports focused on foods most people associate with pesticides: fruit and vegetables. While recommending organic fruit and vegetables is great, the truth is that most pesticides, including the organophophate pesticides specifically researched in the study, are found at high levels in milk and meat.

Through a process called biomagnification toxins such as pesticides concentrate at higher levels as they go up the food chain. Biomagnification is illustrated by a study of the pesticide DDT. One study found when DDT soil levels were 10 parts per million (ppm), earthworms in the soil had a DDT concentration of 141 ppm, and robins eating earthworms had DDT levels of 444 ppm (Pesticides, People and the Environment, Science Scope, 2005).

This is true for the fish and livestock we consume. Due to pesticide run-off in water and air, or pesticides sprayed directly on animals in feedlots, they are found animal tissue. And because commercially raised livestock consume grain contaminated with organophosphate pesticides, we can expect to find them in the milk and meat of the animals. This is also true for fish, since mercury and pesticides concentrate as they move up the food chain.

Last month, ABC news ran a report entitled "Weak Regulation Means Tainted Beef on U.S. Plates, USDA Report Urges Greater Government Effort to Limit Contaminants in Meat" which began: "The government is doing too little to ensure that the beef Americans eat is uncontaminated by 'residual veterinary drugs, pesticides and heavy metals,' according to an audit by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's inspector general." To read the whole article, click here.

So know that pesticides are not primarily found in fruit and vegetables, even though that is the common belief. By eating less meat and dairy, we are eliminating high levels of pesticides and other toxic substances from our diet.

Bladder Cancer

2010-05-12T11:26:00.001-07:00

If you are cutting back on meat, here is more good news: you are likely lowering your risk of bladder cancer.

A new study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting showed meat consumption to increase the risk of bladder cancer. (To read the abstract click here.)

Researchers studied the diets of 884 participants with bladder cancer and 878 controls and found that those who ate the most meat were up to 58 percent more likely to develop bladder cancer. Eating well-done meat was linked to an almost twofold increased risk of bladder cancer. Cooking meat at high temperatures produces carcinogens, or cancer-causing compounds, called heterocyclic amines. Study participants who consumed the most bacon, pork chops, fried chicken, and fried fish also had a higher risk of bladder cancer.

Heterocyclic amines are found to be at the highest levels in meats (including chicken and fish) that are fried, charred, barbecued, broiled or "well done".

For all of you who have begun eating less meat - here's to your health!

Vitamin D

2010-05-04T10:19:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of you who have taken advantage of my book sale (www.fiber-girl.com). I sign all the books I send, and they will be on sale for a little longer. Also, for those of you in Sacramento, I will be speaking this month at the Natural Foods Co-op (Wednesday, May 19th at 6:30pm - free). I think the class might be close to full, but would love to see you there. If you are interesting in purchasing my book without paying shipping, the Co-op carries it as well.

Now, about that famed vitamin D...

If you haven't noticed, everyone in the world - or at least the U.S. - is deficient in vitamin D according to the new standards. Even yours truly. I am frequently asked about taking vitamin D supplements, since most people are advised to take them by their doctor.

As my blog readers know, I am not a fan of supplements unless there is a pronounced deficiency. I believe that the new vitamin D standards are set too high, which is why even those of us who spend plenty of time in the sun are coming up "deficient". So I found this study, published in the Nutrition Journal to be interesting.

To read the abstract directly, click here.

Over the course of a year, 312 Norwegian adults were given either a high dose of vitamin D supplement (either 40.000 IU per week or 20.000 IU per week), or a placebo (dummy pill). After a year, blood levels of vitamin D were higher in the groups given vitamin D supplements, but bone mineral density and several other biomarkers of bone/vitamin D status were the same for all groups. In other words, there was no significant increase in bone density for those taking high levels of vitamin D verses those who did not.

I will continue to research studies on vitamin D so we can make an informed decision regarding whether to take a supplement or not. Either way, please make sure to get outside and soak in the sunlight, which is essential for our mental and physical health.

Multivitamins and Breast Cancer

2010-04-27T17:56:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, if you haven't been to my the Fiber-Girl website lately, you might be interested to know my Free to Eat book is on sale (cutting the competition with Amazon!). If someone borrowed your book and didn't give it back, or you just haven't bought it yet, check it out: www.fiber-girl.com.

Now for some interesting news in the world of nutrition!

I just read this study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, and had to share it with you. (To read the abstract directly, click here.) I found this study to be shocking, and would like it to make headlines since it's a very serious issue.

Researchers tracked over 35,000 cancer-free, Swedish women for over 9 years to observe if multivitamin use was correlated with breast cancer. During that time, almost 1,000 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and these women were 19% more likely to have been taking a multivitamin supplement over the years. In other words, multivitamin use was shown not to prevent breast cancer, but to increase its likelihood.

The association did not differ significantly by hormone receptor status of the breast tumor.

In the words of the study's authors: "These results suggest that multivitamin use is associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This observed association is of concern and merits further investigation." I would say so!

Why would taking a multivitamin over the years make cancer more likely? Because antioxidant nutrients, which include many vitamins and minerals found in multivitamins, when taken in supplemental - or pill - form, act as pro-oxidants. Pro-oxidants are compounds that increase free radical formation, and free radicals cause cancer.

Antioxidant nutrients and compounds found in food do not act as pro-oxidants, which is why eating healthy food helps to prevent cancer.

Preventing Colon Cancer

2010-04-16T17:23:00.000-07:00

Good news for men at risk for colon cancer! A study published this month (April, 2010) in The Journal of Nutrition found that diets rich in magnesium-containing foods lowers the risk for colon and colorectal cancer in men. To read the abstract, click here.

The study followed over 40,000 men and women for an average of eight years while examining the magnesium consumed from food (in contrast to supplemental magnesium from pills). Men with who consumed the most dietary magnesium had a 35% less likelihood of developing colorectal cancer, and were over 50% less likely to develop colon cancer. (No association was seen between magnesium consumption and cancer in women.)

A list of some of the foods richest in magnesium would be appropriate here. Notice, these foods are also high in fiber and many other nutrients. Oh, and they're yummy too.

artichokes
barley
buckwheat flour (good for pancakes!)
oat bran
whole wheat flour
almonds
brazil nuts
cashews
pine nuts
black beans
navy beans
white beans
pumpkin seeds
soy beans
spinach
tomato paste

It's All About Circulation

2010-04-05T17:10:00.001-07:00

I say this to students in my nutrition classes all the time: when it comes to health, it is ALL about circulation. If we have poor circulation, oxygen isn't able to flow freely to the tissues of our body, and that means those tissues ultimately die faster. This is true for brain and heart cells. It's true for ALL cells, as recently published in the journal Circulation.

This study followed over 1500 men for several years, finding men with Erectile Dysfunction (ED) were almost twice as likely to die (death from any cause) than men who did not have ED. Men with ED were also significantly more likely to experience heart attacks and stroke than men without ED. To read the abstract of the study, click here.

Why is this? Erectile Dysfunction is caused by poor - you guessed it - circulation. So is heart disease and stroke, although ED may appear a few years earlier. What improves circulation? A diet low in homocysteine (which attacks arterial tissue, causing plaque to form) and cholesterol. Both these substances are found in animal-origin foods: including fish, poultry, milk, eggs and dairy products. Antioxidants, fiber, and folate are nutrients that fight plaque and therefore improve circulation. We find these in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds).

Even though plaque appears to be permanent, it's not. Plaque comes and goes regularly in our arteries. The problem is, most Americans eat a diet that never lets it simply "go". A plant-based, high fiber will do just that. It's really that easy to change ED and improve circulation!

Crazy Stuff

2010-03-30T10:23:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been faithful blog readers, you know how strongly I feel against vitamin and mineral supplements based on the evidence. Even though I've read myriad studies showing the danger of taking nutrients in pill form, I never cease to be amazed at new research.

Yesterday was no exception, as I read the an article online by Prevention Magazine stating the danger of supplemental folic acid. (Read entire article here.)

Basically, it seems researchers are concerned that most Americans are consuming too much folic acid these days, since it is fortified in so many foods, and many people take multivitamins also containing folic acid. The problem is, several studies have linked supplemental folic acid (which not naturally occurring in food, unlike folate, which is found in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes) with cancer.

One study, published in the Journal of American Medical Association (Nov. 18, 2009) found that people with ischemic heart disease who took a folic acid and B12 supplement for three years were 21% more likely to develop cancer and 38% more likely to die from cancer than those who did not take these supplements.

In another study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found men taking folic acid supplements over seven years were more than twice as likely to develop prostate cancer verses men who didn't take folic acid.

On the flip side, folate found in whole plant foods, has a protective effect against heart disease and cancer. So let's eat better and skip the supplements!

You, Your Bones, and Your Diet

2010-03-25T15:20:00.000-07:00

Most of us fear osteoporosis and bone loss, yet how many Americans know its cause? Besides phosphoric acid (in most soda), high levels of sodium, excessive alcohol and caffeine, a leading contributor of bone loss is animal protein.

A study in the March issue of the British Journal of Nutrition found just that (click here to read the abstract for yourself).

In China, 757 girls with an average age of 10 years were randomly assigned to a group consuming cow's milk fortified with calcium, one consuming cow’s milk fortified with calcium and vitamin D, or a third group that served as controls and made no changes. Bone mass was measured at the beginning of the study and at 12, 24, 48, and 60 months. While calcium intake was positively associated with bone health, animal protein, especially from meat and eggs, was negatively associated with bone mineral density and content.

To quote the study, "It was concluded that higher protein intake, especially from animal foods, appeared to have a negative effect on bone mass accrual in Chinese pubertal girls with low (calcium) intakes."

Another reason why beans (and other legumes such as peas, lentils, nuts and seeds) are the best meat around: they've got calcium and many of the other nutrients needed for calcium's absorption/retention in the body, but the right kind of protein. They also have plenty of fiber, and we can all use more of that.

Fiber to the Rescue

2010-03-12T17:23:00.001-08:00

Just in case you didn't already know, the amount of fiber we eat prevents all chronic diseases including cancer and heart disease.

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition just published a study (March 10, 2010) that found dietary fiber is associated with increased leukocyte telomere length. Recent studies have found leukocyte telomere length (or the length of specific white blood cells) as a strong predictor of inflammation and diseases of aging, including cancer. The longer the length, the lower the risk of chronic disease, and vice versa.

This study also found smaller waist circumference is associated with increased leukocyte telomere length. Good thing fiber helps with weight loss too!

Tired of Yogurt

2010-03-01T17:10:00.000-08:00

I was reading through the current issue of the Journal of Nutrition (March 2010), and came across some articles concerning the questionable benefits of probiotics (read for yourself here), which got me thinking, I'm tired of yogurt being promoted as a health food. Here's why:

Most people have heard that probiotics are beneficial for digestive and immune health, since they increase the beneficial bacteria, or "flora", in our gut. These "good bacteria" are responsible for improving immune function and keeping the levels of detrimental microbes (such as yeast and other pathogens) from rising. When we don't have enough healthy flora it creates a condition called "dysbiosis" which can and often does lead to Leaky Gut Syndrome. Leaky Gut means toxic debris from the gut and undigested proteins are entering the blood, which often results in food allergies and autoimmune diseases.

So, yes, healthy levels of good bacteria in the gut are essential. But do we really need to eat foods with probiotics, such as yogurt and foods with added probiotics? No. (Does the food industry want you to think so? But of course).

I know this might sound surprising, but in order to keep our levels of intestinal flora healthy we need to EAT HIGH FIBER FOODS.

The first reason a high fiber increases our beneficial flora is because the indigestible fiber itself works to clean out the intestines. It regularly (no pun intended) removes the toxic by-products of digestion, as well as viruses, yeast and other pathogenic bacteria. This is essential to avoid dysbiosis.

Also, the different types of fiber found in food, such as oligosaccharides, inulin and polydextrose, are known as "prebiotics", which stimulate the growth of beneficial intestinal flora. Prebiotics come naturally in the same foods where we find fiber: fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds). Prebiotics aren't added to foods as are probiotics, and you don't have to pay more for them.

So forget the latest marketing gimmick, and stop kidding yourself that yogurt is a health food. Keep your gut and immune system healthy by eating healthful foods.

Coffee, The New Health Drink?

2010-02-16T16:27:00.001-08:00

I love coffee, I'll admit. What's not to love? The aroma, the warmth, the way it makes me feel... as long as it's in moderation, since too much coffee causes electrolyte mineral loss (leading to bone loss and high blood pressure). Not to mention it makes me stress out.

Moderation = 1-2 cups a day. Cups = 8 oz (not 16 ounces!)

So why am I, a nutritionist, doing writing about coffee? Coffee, like tea, contains antioxidants, but unlike tea, coffee drinking is associated with a lower risk of Type II diabetes.

A new study in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition (read abstract here) found that French women who consumed a daily cup of java at lunchtime were one-third less likely to develop diabetes than those who did not imbibe. Interestingly, they found this was true for both regular and decaffeinated coffee but not for tea or chicory.

Past studies have shown that coffee also seems to have a protective role in other chronic diseases, such as Alzheimer's, colon & prostate cancer, as well as gallstones.

Fiber Fights the Bulge

2010-02-04T17:00:00.001-08:00

This is so exciting. Even being a natural "ham", sometimes I feel pretty silly taking on the role of Fiber-Girl superhero - I am almost 40, you know. But then, along come studies like this that remind me why I will gladly make a fool out of myself.

This study was just published in the February, 2010 Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Dietary Fiber and Subsequent Changes in Body Weight and Waist Circumference in European Men and Women

Researchers tracked 89,432 healthy participants, aged 20–78 years, for six and a half years. They found total fiber (from food) to be "inversely associated" with subsequent weight and waist circumference change. In other words, people who consumed the most dietary fiber had the least weight gain and waist increase over the span of six years.

In particular, fiber from grains was found to be the most effective in preventing weight/waist gain, although fiber from fruit and vegetables also significantly prevented waist circumference increase as well. Unfortunately, fiber from legumes was not studied. (Obviously they haven't read my blog yet.)

So remember, increasing fiber in your diet now will prevent weight gain later. Let's not let aging make us fat - battle the bulge with high fiber foods: fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds).

The 20 Year Update

2010-01-22T16:24:00.000-08:00

When I was studying nutrition in college almost 20 years ago I was taught that people with diabetes need to consume fewer carbohydrates than the rest of us. Carbs, we were taught, spike glucose levels in diabetics and cause their disease to progress.

Well, that was 20 years ago, and it still isn't working. I've met too many people to count who have tried that, and still find their diabetes to be worsening.

Maybe that's because we're focusing on the wrong thing. At least, that's what today's research shows.

A study published this month in the journal Diabetes Care found that adults who ate the most protein had over twice the risk of becoming diabetic over the 10 years they were tracked. They found vegetable protein to be unrelated to diabetes, but animal protein was.

Which makes so much sense, since animal protein comes with diabetes-causing compounds like cholesterol and saturated fat, which cause cell membranes to become less permeable to insulin and glucose. Population groups who consume the most animal protein (dairy products, eggs, meat, poultry and fish), also tend to have the highest rates of diabetes - and heart disease to boot.

Of course, carbs are still important. High fiber, unprocessed plant-based carbs like fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes (beans, peas, lentils), nut and seeds all need to be consumed on a regular basis, and processed foods limited.

So the recipe for avoiding, or reversing, diabetes? More plant-based foods (like beans, lentils and nuts for protein), and less animal-derived protein. It's just that simple!

Preventing Diabetes Happens

2010-01-11T21:10:00.000-08:00

Surprise, eating a high fiber diet protects against Type II diabetes! It really does.

Fresh from the Journal of Nutrition (Vol. 140, No. 1, 68-74, January 2010):

Researchers followed over 75,000 men and women aged 45-75 years old for 14 years. At the end of the research period, 8587 participants had been diagnosed with diabetes. When comparing the diets of diabetics with non-diabetics, researchers found men who consumed the most fiber to be 25% less likely to develop diabetes. Women who consumed the most fiber were also significantly less likely to become diabetic.

The good news is that what we put into our bodies is so powerful. The bad news is that what we put in our bodies is also so powerful.

Good thing high fiber foods are so easy to eat.

1 cup black beans cooked - 15 grams fiber
1 cup pistachios - 14 grams
1 cup almonds - 14 grams
1 russet potato with skin - 5 grams
1 small sweet potato - 5 grams
1 avocado - 7 grams
5 cups popcorn (small bowl) - 6 grams
1 cup split pea soup - 6 grams
1 cup lentils - 15 grams
1 apple - 4 grams
1 cup oatmeal with raisins, walnuts and flaxseed - 8 grams
(see my book Free to Eat - www.fiber-girl.com - for full list of foods)

On my last post the video link didn't show - so here it is if you missed out on the 20 Second Challenge.

Fiber-Girl's Back!

2010-01-03T20:09:00.001-08:00

I've got a new video out for a new year and a new decade. Don't worry, this one's much shorter, easier to hear, and I think it's much funnier - especially the last line!

I'm calling it the 20 Second Challenge and I bet you can guess why -
http://www.fiber-girl.com/20secchallenge.html
Please pass it along to all the folks you know... take my Challenge, and join the Fast Tract Hall of Fame!

Fiber-Girl's Back!

2010-01-03T20:09:00.000-08:00

I've got a new video out for a new year and a new decade. Don't worry, this one's much shorter, easier to hear, and I think it's much funnier - especially the last line!

I'm calling it the 20 Second Challenge and I bet you can guess why -

Please pass it along to all the folks you know... take my Challenge, and join the Fast Tract Hall of Fame!

Things are Getting Spicy

2010-01-01T16:05:00.000-08:00

I am crazy about spices. Spices of all kinds are natural preservatives for food, but better yet, they contain LOADS of antioxidant properties. All the pungent flavor from spices actually is derived from compounds that act as antioxidants, preventing chronic diseases.

But here's something I didn't know. Apparently, spices like turmeric can also prevent fat cells from growing.

Who knew?

Researchers from my Alma Mater, Tufts University, recently published a study in the Journal of Nutrition showing a substance found in turmeric called curcumin prevents growth of new fat tissue in mice. In addition, mice receiving curcumin had lower cholesterol levels and less fat in their livers when compared to mice eating the same amount of food.

Now, before you go out and buy more turmeric, please know that this particular spice has been studied more than most. I believe many spices contain similar properties as turmeric, which is why I am a proponent of consuming "ethnic" foods, which traditionally contain many herbs and spices.

If you haven't already heard about my favorite source for recipes with spice, it's Jennifer Brewer. Visit her at www.NourishingNutrition.com.

A New Year's Kick

2009-12-29T16:27:00.001-08:00

This just in... and what perfect timing!

We have an invitation from Dr. Neal Barnard of (Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine) to join him in a 21-day, New Year challenge to kickstart our health on a “plant-based diet” beginning January 1, 2010. This is a great opportunity for anyone to experience the benefits of a “plant-based diet” for 21 days and for anyone suspecting a sensitivity to dairy products. Please check this out yourself and share this opportunity with your friends.

Kickstart is a free, noncommercial program, open to all organizations and individuals. Set up by PCRM, the Kickstart program gives participants menus, recipes, nutrition Webcasts, and daily encouraging messages from health authorities and Hollywood celebrities. Kickstart will offer:

* Encouragement and lifesaving information from Dean Ornish, MD, Alicia Silverstone, four-time NBA champion John Salley, Oprah’s chefTal Ronnen, T. Colin Campbell, Rip Esselstyn, and many more.

* Daily e-tips that put Kickstart participants on the path to weight loss, better health, and greater well-being

* A 21-day meal plan with easy and delicious recipes sent every day that will help participants break cravings for unhealthy foods

* Weekly motivational nutrition webcasts

* Social support from other Kickstart participants through a community forum where nutrition professionals answer health and diet questions

* An interactive vegan restaurant guide

* Working with Twitter, you can “Tweet What You Eat!”

Register for the Kickstart here.

One Last Thing

2009-12-22T12:12:00.000-08:00

Just a reminder for those of you planning to come to my next nutrition seminar at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op (Jan. 20th, 6:30pm, free), please pre-register online here.

The seminar will cover lowering blood pressure (and preventing high blood pressure) and weight loss. If you are planning to buy a book there ($15 and you may use a $5 off store coupon if you purchase a total of $20 at the co-op that night or the next day), please let me know in advance, so I can make sure the co-op has enough books in stock! They have run out before, and we want to make sure that doesn't happen again.

Merry Christmas and Happy Hannukah everyone!

Sunlight Makes You "Bright"

2009-12-17T16:54:00.001-08:00

I think everyone following this blog knows I've moved to a new area (Oakland, CA - the good part of Oakland, don't worry). I have to admit, it's taken longer than expected for me to start using my bicycle as transportation again. I could tell you that the hills here are steep, or that there's way more traffic, but those are just excuses in my book.

So today, my daughter and I cycled down to the library and Trader Joe's - yeah!

The best part of cycling (or walking) for me is the feeling of the fresh air and the sun on my face. It's worth the extra hilly, traffic-y commute. But then I just read a new study telling me that the same sunlight I so enjoy in the winter also is making me smarter, or "boosting my cognitive function". I don't know about you, but I'll take whatever I can get.

The Journal of Environmental Health published a study (July 2009) that examined almost 17,000 people, reviewing their sunlight exposure, depression status and cognitive function. They found people with the least sunlight exposure were the most likely to have impaired cognitive function (or "thinking ability"). This was especially pronounced among those who suffered from depression, although it was true across the study population.

I know there are fewer daylight hours these days, but all the more reason to get outside and soak up some sunlight. Remember, UV rays still penetrate the atmosphere when it is cloudy, so don't wait for a perfectly sunny day. Also, you'll recall that the layer of cholesterol beneath our skin produces vitamin D when we are in the sunlight (even cloudy days). And most of us could benefit from more vitamin D, if not a better functioning brain!

Breast Cancer and Soy

2009-12-10T18:04:00.001-08:00

Are the short daylight hours getting to you yet? I'm sure feeling them. But something to look forward to for those of you who live in the Sacramento region: I'll be speaking at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op on Jan. 20th. As always, my lecture is free (but please preregister on the SNFC website beforehand). And as always, you can purchase a copy of my book and use the $5 off coupon in the store! I'll be speaking on lowering blood pressure and weight loss, starting at 6:30pm.

If you still haven't bought a copy of my book, you can always purchase a signed copy at www.fiber-girl.com, or at Amazon.com (unsigned).

For those of you who like to plan ahead, I'll also be speaking at the SNFC learning center to members of the Sacramento Vegetarian Society (SVS) on March 21st at 5:30. Even though this is for members of the SVS, it's open to everyone, veggie or not, just preregister by contacting sacveggie@hotmail.com. This event includes dinner! I'll be selling and signing books here as well.

Now, on to the latest research... I usually don't copy info straight from the PCRM (Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine) website, but as I read the original study online, I found this to be the best synopsis:

Soy Boosts Survival in Breast Cancer Patients

Soy consumption improves breast cancer survival, according to a report in the Dec. 9, 2009 Journal of the American Medical Association. Researchers found that women diagnosed with breast cancer who consume soy products, such as tempeh, tofu, or edamame, have a 32 percent lower risk of cancer recurrence and a 29 percent decreased risk of death, compared with women who consume little or no soy. The report included 5,042 women in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Survival Study, the largest population-based study of breast cancer survival, and followed them for a four-year period.

The beneficial association of soy foods was evident among women with either estrogen receptor–positive or –negative breast cancer and was present in both users and nonusers of the drug tamoxifen.

In the past, soy has been a controversial topic for cancer patients. However, an editorial accompanying this new study suggests that inconsistencies in prior research may be attributable to the comparatively low soy consumption in the United States, making beneficial effects harder to identify. In China, soy intake is higher and diets tend to include traditional food sources of soy, rather than soy supplements.

In the conclusion of the study, the authors state: Among women with breast cancer, soy food consumption was significantly associated with decreased risk of death and recurrence.

Shu XO, Zheng Y, Cai H, et al. Soy food intake and breast cancer survival. JAMA. 2009;302:2437-2443.

Ballard-Barbash R, Neuhouser ML. Challenges in design and interpretation of observational research on health behaviors and cancer survival. JAMA. 2009;302:2483-2484.

I would like to add a couple of comments on this study.

First, I absolutely agree with the authors that the benefits of soy are from foods, not supplements.

Second, I believe the best soy-based foods are the least processed ones: tempeh, tofu, edamame, etc.

Third, Trader Joe's is now carrying organic tempeh (which means the soybeans are not genetically modified) at a GREAT price! Fried tempeh is great on sandwiches, with hummus, and avocado. I put soy, or tamari sauce on mine when I fry it. Yummy, and so filling!

Not So Innocuous

2009-12-06T18:06:00.000-08:00

First dear blog readers, I want to thank you for writing reviews of my book, Free to Eat, on Amazon! A number of you wrote about how you enjoyed hearing me speak in person, and that was encouraging for me to read.

Now that we live in Oakland, I need to find new venues to speak at. If you happen to know of places in the Bay Area where nutrition speakers are needed, feel free to send me your recommendations!

Now, for the "meat" of this blog, if you will...

In case you haven't heard my many blog-rants about the hazards of taking dietary supplements (vitamins), here's one more for you. This one is in the "shocking" category, since it's about vitamin C, which has long been touted as a beneficial and even necessary supplement which is completely innocuous.

Well, here you go, straight from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (November 18, 2009).

Over 24,000 women aged 49-83 years old were tracked for over eight years to see if vitamin C supplements and or multivitamins containing vitamin C helped prevent age-related cataract formation.

In the study, women who took vitamin C supplements were at greater risk for developing cataracts than those who did not take them. For women aged 65 years or more, vitamin C supplement use was correlated with a 38% greater likelihood of cataract formation.

For women taking hormone replacement therapy, vitamin C supplements put them at a 56% greater risk of cataracts vs. women taking neither. Women using corticosteriod drugs who also took vitamin C supplements had 97% higher risk of developing cataracts vs. women taking neither.

In the author's own words: "Our results indicate that the use of vitamin C supplements may be associated with higher risk of age-related cataract among women".

So please, even if you are not a post-menopausal women taking vitamin C supplements, spread the news to your friends and loved ones - and help prevent unnecessary detrimental aging.

No Shortcuts Buddy

2009-11-27T19:12:00.000-08:00

OK everyone, I'm going to share some insider info with you. The good news is, my new book Free to Eat is now available on Amazon.com. The bad news is that Amazon.com is selling it for less than the book actually costs, so I don't make nearly the same amount of money - but hey, that's big business, eh? (Although the Amazon orders do not have my personal signature, which as you know, will be worth millions in the near future ;-)

I tell you this because I would so appreciate if those of you who have read Free to Eat would write a review on Amazon. Thank you. I'm looking forward to reading the reviews already (although a little nervous).

Now for the nutrition part of this blog. I - and many other nutrition and health-minded people - seem to be hung up on whether fish and fish oils play a role in a healthy diet. To date, I have been skeptical of the benefits of fish-based Omega-3 fatty acids, but aware there are many studies concluding otherwise. So I decided to have a look at the American Heart Association (AHA) scientific statement regarding fish/fish oil (read it here).

I found the AHA statement very informative and interesting. Here's why:

Alpha-linolenic acids are plant-based pre-cursors to the "long chain" Omega-3 fatty acids that we find in fish, such as EPA and DHA. Alpha-linolenic acids come from plant foods such as nuts, olive oil, seeds like flaxseed, avocados, vegetables and legumes. The rate of conversion of alpha-linolenic to EPA is believed to be very low (15% or so), and thus people are often told they cannot possibly receive enough Omega-3 fatty acids without consuming fish or fish oil. Yet the AHA statement cites multiple studies that found alpha-linolenic acids to have the same benefits as EPA and DHA, even when consumed in small amounts. This has also been found in more recent studies (read here).

Apparently, though alpha-linolenic acid doesn't convert to longer chain Omega-3 fatty acids as efficiently as fish-based EPA and DHA, it has the same outcome as far as preventing heart disease!

Some other benefits of consuming Omega-3 from plant foods vs. fish and fish oil:

1) Alpha-linolenic acids do not increase risk of hemorrhaging as do high doses (3g or more/day) of Omega-3's from fish/fish oil.

2) Consuming Omega-3's from plants does not increase our exposure to dangerous toxins such as methylmercury, PCB's and high amounts of pesticides as found in fish and fish oils.

3) Plant foods do not form Heterocyclic Amines (HCA's) that are known carcinogens found in cooked animal protein. Nor do plant foods contribute to homocysteine levels, which creates plaque.

4) On the flip side, plant foods such fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (including nuts and seeds) are loaded with antioxidants and fiber. Not so with fish.

But I digress.

The AHA statement also makes it clear that studies on the benefits of fish and fish oil are controversial. There are many studies in which they appear beneficial, yet there is an equal body of evidence showing no effect. This continues to be the case today. Just this month, the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition published a study that revealed fish oil supplementation had no effect on preventing inflammation in a middle aged population (read here).

Thus, I remain a skeptic that most people would benefit from consuming fish or fish oil. What I am certain of is this: everyone's health would benefit immeasurably from consuming more of a plant-based diet - and there are no shortcuts to attain this.

Other Worldly

2009-11-17T20:38:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned in my last post, my family has recently moved. We now live in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is a pretty large place compared to our home town of Sacramento. Choosing exactly where to live in the Bay Area was difficult, but guess what it ultimately came down to? I'll be honest: lasagna and falafel.

I'm serious.

We found a neighborhood with a wonderful downtown, and happened upon an Italian restaurant that served the best vegetable lasagna I'd ever had. (As you know, I'm not a proponent of cheese, but every once in a blue moon I'll indulge myself, especially when eating Italian food). We also noticed a Greek restaurant across the street that serves homemade falafel - and in my opinion, that was reason enough to choose the neighborhood.

So before you think about relocating to a neighborhood with better restaurants, know this post is really about why Americans need to eat more "ethnic foods", both when dining out and cooking at home. Here's why:

1) True ethnic food contains more vegetables and grains. For example, most people love lasagna and would enjoy meatless lasagna since it's so flavorful. The high amount of marinara sauce makes lasagna a healthy food in my book, and it's easy to ask for it served "light on the cheese, heavy on the marinara". Another example is falafel, since its comprised of garbanzo beans (and therefore is high in fiber, protein and myriad other nutrients). Same for other mid-Eastern foods like hummus, Indian and Asian foods like Thai.

2) Ethnic foods have spices, and spices are LOADED with antioxidants. Actually, the strong flavors and aromas that come from spices really come from the antioxidant compounds (also known as phytochemicals) they contain. From hot chili peppers found in traditional Mexican food and salsas, to cumin, coriander, fennel, rosemary and oregano, the list of herbs and spices found in ethic foods is phenomenal for building our immune system and warding off chronic disease.

3) It's easier to eat less or no meat when consuming ethic foods. From a bean burrito to falafel to Tom Yum soup, other cultures know how to make choosing meatless options easy. And what American couldn't benefit from less meat (and more fiber?).

And tonight we made a delicious curry from my weekly Nourishing Nutrition meal plan (www.nourishingnutrition.com). Thank you Jennifer Brewer!

Good Mood News

2009-11-10T15:11:00.002-08:00

Maybe it's the shorter daylight hours and the fact I've just moved to a new city... I don't know about you, but I want to hear good news these days. So forgive me for sharing with you some evidence that avoiding meat (yes, including fish) improves mood. Now, who couldn't benefit from that? And if you do avoid meat and think your mood isn't so hot, just think how bad it could be!

On a personal note, I distinctly remember experiencing a significantly improved memory after removing all animal origin foods (all meat, dairy and eggs) from my diet. I also lost 20 pounds!

Just in (via PCRM.org):

Omnivores who cut all meat out of their diets experience mood improvements, according to a poster session presented this week at the annual American Public Health Association conference. Researchers at Arizona State University divided 39 omnivorous participants into three dietary groups: control (made no changes to diet), fish (consumed three to four servings of fish per week and no other meat), and vegetarian (consumed no meat and no eggs). The vegetarian group experienced mood improvements in both tension and confusion categories, while the meat-eating participants and fish eaters showed no significant changes in mood.

Beezhold BL, Johnston CS, Daigle DR. Restriction of flesh foods in omnivores improves mood: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Poster presented at: American Public Health Association's 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition; November 9, 2009: Philadelphia, PA.

Good Mood News

2009-11-10T15:11:00.001-08:00

Maybe it's the shorter daylight hours and the fact I've just moved to a new city... I don't know about you, but I want to hear good news these days. So forgive me for sharing with you some evidence that avoiding meat (yes, including fish) improves mood. Now, who couldn't benefit from that? And if you do avoid meat and think your mood isn't so hot, just think how bad it could be!

Just in (via PCRM.org):

Omnivores who cut all meat out of their diets experience mood improvements, according to a poster session presented this week at the annual American Public Health Association conference. Researchers at Arizona State University divided 39 omnivorous participants into three dietary groups: control (made no changes to diet), fish (consumed three to four servings of fish per week and no other meat), and vegetarian (consumed no meat and no eggs). The vegetarian group experienced mood improvements in both tension and confusion categories, while the meat-eating participants and fish eaters showed no significant changes in mood.

Beezhold BL, Johnston CS, Daigle DR. Restriction of flesh foods in omnivores improves mood: a pilot randomized controlled trial. Poster presented at: American Public Health Association's 137th Annual Meeting and Exposition; November 9, 2009: Philadelphia, PA.

Good Nutrition News

2009-11-04T17:59:00.001-08:00

I want to apologize to all my dear blog readers for my absence these past several weeks. My family has been in the midst of moving to another city, and today is my first day of "normalacy".

The good news is, there's some good nutrition news.

For example, British Journal of Cancer (2009: 101, 192–197) recently published a study of over 60,000 men and women who were followed for 12 years and observed for cancer diagnoses. They found that on average, vegetarians were 12% less likely to develop cancer verses non-vegetarians. Even though I am not presently a proponent of fish consumption, I need to state that this study found vegetarians who consumed fish were 18% less likely to develop cancer (on average, depending on the type of cancer) than non-vegetarians.

Imagine a diet that significantly lowers your risk of cancer. What good news that is... and why aren't more people consuming this diet?

And now, for good news for preventing diabetes:

A new review (of 12 prior studies) published in the journal Diabetologia (2009: 52:2277-2287) found that people who consumed the most red meat had a 21% higher risk of developing diabetes verses those who consumed the least. Those who consumed the most processed meat (bacon, lunch meat, sausage, pepperoni, pastrami, salami, bologna and hot dogs) had a 41% higher risk of developing diabetes verses those who consumed the least.

This is so significant - let's pass this on to our loved ones who are consuming meat and processed meat regularly.

And finally, good news for preventing bone loss:

In a new study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology (2009: 170:901-909), intake of soy products reduced the risk of hip factures as much as 36 percent among women who consumed more than the least amount of soy. All intakes above the least amount consumed (for example any amount greater than one-fourth cup tofu per day) averaged a 30 percent protective effect. The study was part of the Singapore Chinese Health Study and looked at more than 63,000 male and female adults.

Other healthy sources of soy products include tempeh (my personal favorite when grilled and in a sandwich), edamame (cooked soybeans from the pod, frequently served in Japanese restaurants but easy to cook at home since they cook in 5 minutes), and miso (found in many Japanese soups - YUM).

I hope this news encourages those of you who are trying to eat healthfully, and inspires those of us who need it.

Fish: Not a Health Food

2009-10-13T16:46:00.000-07:00

While the media touts fish as a health food, I've been preaching otherwise for some time now. Besides the Omega-3 fatty acids found in most fish, there's really no benefit to eating it, although there are plenty of hazards: mercury, PCB's (Polychlorinated Biphenals), cholesterol content (the same as red meat), homocysteine levels, Heterocyclic Amines, and of course, fish has no fiber.

The one beneficial compound in fish - Omega 3's - are found throughout plant foods such as nuts, flaxseed and other seeds, legumes, whole grains and fatty fruit like avocados.

But wait, just in case you still weren't convinced, there's a new study published online in the European Journal of Heart Failure (2009;11:922-928) that contradicts the belief that fish prevents heart disease. Researchers studied over 5,000 men and women (who lived in the Netherlands) for over 11 years and compared episodes of heart failure between those who consumed the most fish and those consumed the least. Guess what? They found NO DIFFERENCE. In fact, in their own words, the author of the study concluded: "Our findings do not support a major role for fish intake in the prevention of heart failure."

Wow. Hope this makes headlines too.

Nitrates and Disease

2009-10-06T17:57:00.002-07:00

My goodness, I'm so glad I chose nutrition as my profession - it never gets boring!

Today's news: nitrates (and nitrites) in food are worse than previously thought. A recent study at Brown University found that dietary nitrates are strong predictors of chronic disease such as Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009). Nitrates are also known carcinogens, most linked to childhood cancers - if that weren't bad enough.

Where do nitrates come from? Processed meats such as lunch meat (bologna, salami, pastrami), sausage, pepperoni, bacon, ham, and of course, America's favorite: hot dogs. Nitrates are also found to some degree in cheese and beer, although I believe they're most heavily concentrated in processed meats. Also, as nitrogen-based fertilizer use increases, nitrates are showing up at higher levels in all kinds of food (one more reason to buy organic - no chemical fertilizer with added nitrates).

So why are these food preservatives SO bad? For one they decrease oxygen circulation in our blood - which explains the link to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. When oxygen rates to the brain decrease, brain cells die quickly and permanently. Nitrites actually bind with hemoglobin proteins in red blood cells, prohibiting the cells from carrying oxygen, which leads to premature cell death throughout the body.

Nitrates and nitrites from food also form compounds in our body called nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are the actual carcinogens that are notorious for causing cancer. They act similarly to free radicals by mutating cell DNA - which is never a good thing.

The good news is foods naturally rich in vitamin C such as fruit and vegetables (especially locally grown, fresh and organic produce, which naturally contain or retain more vitamin C) help prevent the formation of nitrosamines from nitrates. Just one more way that fruit and veggie consumption prevents cancer.

So let's all stay away from nitrates and nitrites by eating less (or no) processed meat and more fresh & organic produce. And for you who already do, let this encourage you - you are healthier than you thought!

nitrates and disease

2009-10-06T17:57:00.001-07:00

My goodness, I'm so glad I chose nutrition as my profession - it never gets boring!

Today's latest news: nitrates (and nitrites) in food are worse than previously thought. A recent study at Brown University found that dietary nitrates are strong predictors of chronic disease such as Type II diabetes, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. The study was published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease (Volume 17:3 July 2009). Nitrates are also known carcinogens, most linked to childhood cancers - if that wasn't bad enough.

Where do nitrates come from? Processed meats such as lunch meat (bologna, salami, pastrami), sausage, pepperoni, bacon, ham, and of course, America's favorite: hot dogs. Nitrates are also found to some degree in cheese and beer, although I believe they're most heavily concentrated in processed meats. Also, as nitrogen-based fertilizer use increases, nitrates are showing up at higher levels in all kinds of food (one more reason to buy organic - no chemical fertilizer with added nitrates).

So why are these food preservatives SO bad? For one they decrease oxygen circulation in our blood - which explains the link to Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease. When oxygen rates to the brain decrease, brain cells die quickly and permanently. Nitrites actually bind with hemoglobin proteins in red blood cells, prohibiting the red blood cells from carrying oxygen, which leads to cell death throughout the body.

Nitrates and nitrites from food also form compounds in our body called nitrosamines. Nitrosamines are the actual carcinogens that are notorious for causing cancer. They may act similarly to free radicals by mutating cell DNA - always a bad idea.

The good news is foods naturally rich in vitamin C such as fruit and vegetables (especially locally grown, fresh and organic produce) help prevent the formation of nitrosamines from nitrates. So this is just one more mechanism that fruit and veggie consumption prevents cancer.

So let's all stay away from nitrates and nitrites by eating less (or no) processed meat and more fresh produce. And for you who already do, let this encourage you!

in person

2009-09-29T12:01:00.001-07:00

I am excited to announce some upcoming seminars in Sacramento, please come and join the fun!

** Sunday, October 4th at 2pm I will be giving a free seminar at Whole Foods on "How to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes and Lose Weight in the Process". I know space in Whole Foods is limited, so please pre-register if you plan on coming. I will be selling and signing my books there.

** Monday, October 5th at 6:30pm Healthy U (in Natomas) is having a speaker come out from Washington D.C. He is the associate director of one of my favorite organizations (Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine), and he will be discussing one of my all-time favorite subjects - that's right - the colon. Dr. Mills' seminar is actually titled "Put Your Colon to Work for You: How it Improves Physiology and Protects Your Health". So true Dr. Mills, thank you for being willing to speak on this subject!

Since Healthy U seminars all include delicious vegan dinners served beforehand, and since it costs $10, space is limited, so please call Charleen at 482-8123 to reserve your space.

** Wednesday, October 7th at 6:30pm I will be giving another free seminar at the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op on "How to Prevent and Reverse Diabetes and Lose Weight in the Process". Of course my books will be sold there, and of course I will sign them! Please register online for the class online at their website (www.sacfoodcoop.com).

So I hope some to see some of you in the near future. Or perhaps better yet, you have a friend or family member who could benefit from this information!

Of course, you may still buy my book Free to Eat at my website: www.fiber-girl.com. All copies will be signed by yours truly.

Don't Sweat the Small Stuff

2009-09-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

Last week I had an informed reader ask me about naturally occurring substances in vegetables, whole grains and legumes commonly referred to as "anti-nutrients". This reader wanted to know if soaking and/or sprouting grains and legumes was helpful in decreasing said substances. (Common anti-nutrients include tannins, phytates or phytic acid, and oxalates or oxalic acid - although many more exist.) The name "anti-nutrient" is given because these compounds bind with minerals in food - particularly iron, zinc, copper, calcium and magnesium - and thereby lower mineral absorption to some degree.

So I did my research (did I ever!) and here's what I've found. While vegetables, whole grains and legumes do contain these compounds that can lower mineral absorption, they also have powerful antioxidant properties that have proven to lower blood glucose levels in diabetics, lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and perhaps most surprisingly: have been found to play a powerful role in preventing cancer cell proliferation. To read a review of studies on that last point, read more here.

Not only that, but when foods containing such "anti-nutrients" are consumed regularly, mineral deficiencies are extremely rare. Case in point: black tea contains high amounts of tannins, yet myriad studies show post-menopausal women who drink tea regularly are less likely to lose bone density than those who do not drink tea. Since zinc, copper, calcium and magnesium are especially play an especially important role in bone density, the results are surprising. (see Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Apr;71(4):1003-7.)

Foods made with soy have received ridiculous amounts of bad press (from bad sources) in regards to anti-nutrients - yet people who consume the most soy, from fermented sources or not, are the least likely to develop mineral deficiencies, as well as chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

Due to all their benefits, many researchers are starting to call "anti-nutrients" just plain "nutrients". I agree. So keep eating your vegetables, whole grains and legumes. If you choose to lower anti-nutrients (like phytic acid) through soaking, sprouting and fermenting your legumes and grains, that's fine, since you can't entirely eliminate all the anti-nutrients anyway. But if you don't take measures to reduce these compounds, you will derive great benefits too.

******

By the way, thank you everyone who has bought my book these past two weeks! I've heard some great feedback already! This week will be the last week to purchase it without shipping and tax charges. And of course, I will sign each one. Read it (the first 40 pages) and buy it at http://www.fiber-girl.com.

more avocados please

2009-09-09T17:29:00.000-07:00

I went to the farmers market today and bought myself five avocados for $7.00. I recommend you do the same. Besides the fact that avocados are delicious and satiating (read: filling), they are also GOOD for you.

So here are just a handful of reasons why you should go nuts on avocados:

1) Antioxidants. Avo's are loaded with antioxidants like vitamin E, folic acid and glutathione. All these are known to prevent cancer & heart disease while boosting the immune system.

2) Potassium. Forget bananas, avo's have way more potassium which is known to lower blood pressure. (Yes, you can have your bananas too.)

3) Fiber. One avocado contains between 6-8 grams of fiber - without the peel or pit.

4) Diabetes. Because of their high fiber & healthy fat content, avocados are ridiculously low on the glycemic index, or GI. The GI measures how slowly a food causes blood sugar to rise and therefore, its potential contribution to diabetes.

5) Lowering cholesterol. Fatty plant foods like avo's and nuts contain high amounts of what are known as plant, or "phyto" sterols. Plant sterols block cell receptor sites from absorbing real cholesterol, thus lowering LDL (bad) and total cholesterol levels significantly.

6) Preventing cancer and macular degeneration. Ohio State University researchers found that the beneficial fats in avocados increase the absorption of carotenoid nutrients by up to 15 times (Journal of Nutrition, 2005). Study participants who consumed avocados with their salad absorbed more lycopene (known to help prevent prostate cancer), beta and alpha carotene (known to prevent many types of cancer, including oral), as well as lutein. The nutrient lutein is especially known for preventing macular degeneration in the elderly, which is the most common form of blindness in the U.S.

7) Appetite control. That's right, avocados - like nuts - are often believed to cause weight gain but actually do the opposite. The fat in avo's is not only good for you but keeps you fuller for longer periods. Think about it, how many avo's can you eat at once? Just try.

8) Omega-3 fatty acids. We hear so much about Omega-3's being found in fish, but avo's have just as much and there's no mercury to worry about. Omega-3's are renown for lowering high blood pressure, preventing blood clots leading to stroke and heart disease, as well as improving brain function and the immune system.

So add avo's to your salads, sandwiches, burritos, or just eat them plain or spread on bread. Finally, an easy way to improve your health.

******

By the way, if you haven't bought my brand new book Free to Eat yet, I will forgo tax and shipping costs for another week as part of the promotion. Oh yeah, and I will sign them for free too! Free to Eat includes all the material on this blog plus 50 recipes and a 30-day meal plan. Read part and buy it here!

Free Recipes

2009-09-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

Thank you so much everyone for your wonderful encouragement and feedback on my new book Free to Eat! It is so sweet when someone asks me a nutrition question now, I get to simply say, "It's in my book"! Everything I've written on my blog -- is in my book!

The other half of the book is RECIPES and a 30-day meal plan. I've been asked to do this for so long. It's one thing for me to tell you how to eat, but so much better to hold your hand as you make real changes.

All the recipes come from (soon to be) world-famous meal planner Jennifer Brewer. These days, all I cook comes from one of her creations. They are out of this world delicious, and of course, incredibly healthy. You can subscribe to her meal plan for $9.95/month, and you receive a weekly email with a PDF file of recipes (and shopping list) for that week. The recipes are always new, so my husband never gets tired of "the same ol' thing".

Finally, can I just tell you that you can try a month of Jennifer's services for FREE? Just go to http://www.nourishingnutrition.com/ and sign up!

It's a Book!

2009-08-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

My husband always gives me a hard time because I HATE promoting myself. I'll tell you all about my favorite book or movie, but will forget to tell you I just published a book myself. Well, that said, I did just publish a new book and I'll tell you, it's pretty awesome. I say that because it includes just about everything covered in this entire blog (over 200 posts) in a cohesive manner. It also has over 50 recipes from my absolute favorite meal planner, Jennifer Brewer, as well as a 30-day meal plan. It's everything I wished my first little book, The UnDiet, had been. You can preview the first 40 pages on my new website. For the next couple weeks we are having a promotion where we throw in shipping and tax for you and just charge the straight $14.95. Plus I'll sign it for you - which will be worth millions soon! Order it here.

Fiber-Girl to the Rescue

2009-08-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

The world needs a nutrition superhero, so why not me? I mean aren't obesity, diabetes, and cancer more of a threat than the Sandman or Joker? Let's see how much fun learning about nutrition can be- My new video
Please send this on to any of your friends who could use it and rate it on YouTube! And we're collecting ideas for future episodes, so make suggestions!

a new spectator sport

2009-08-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

"The more time a nation devotes to food preparation in the home, the lower its rate of obesity. In fact, the amount of time spent cooking predicts obesity rates more reliably than female participation in the work force or income." (italics mine) -- Michael Pollan, The New York Times Magazine, Aug. 2, 2009.

If any of you had the chance to peruse this article by Michael Pollan, you would find it ironic how today Americans spend more time than ever watching cooking shows on T.V., yet spend less time than ever actually cooking (average time is 27 minutes in a day, less than half of what it was in the 1960's). Even though I don't have cable T.V., I am aware that not only do we have an entire channel devoted to cooking shows, but now "reality" cooking shows as well. In fact, we now have a Hollywood movie about a cooking personality (inspired by Julia Childs).

I was raised in what is now called a "second-wave" feminist household. My mother, influenced by Gloria Steinem and Betty Friedan, believed that cooking was somewhat beneath her - not to mention a pain in the keister. Although she also realized cooking was downright necessary if she wanted the family to eat healthfully and not blow wads of money. Because she worked, she shared this "chore" with my father 50%/50%, which worked pretty well. It also helped that my parents strongly disliked the taste of fast food.

I find that I often have the same feelings as my mother about cooking: it's time-consuming (factor in the meal-planning, grocery shopping and clean-up), and somewhat mindless. I mean, I have a Master's degree from a prestigious East Coast university - shouldn't I be using all that knowledge to earn more money and climb ladders?

Here's where my mom and I differ. I've learned that my attitude toward cooking - and all the work that entails - is ultimately a choice. I don't like being so busy that I can't think. Cooking doesn't have to be a chore, but rather an art that allows me to relax and focus on what's in my hands. And of course, having a background in nutrition is a strong reinforcement as to what happens when we don't cook. I don't judge my mother, as I am influenced by the foodie trends as much as she was by the currents of her time.

Cooking shouldn't be a spectator sport. Neither should it be a chore. We simply cannot live without healthy food, and apparently, there's no getting around it. So let's embrace the kitchen as a creative - and quite necessary - part of our home and life.

a healthy fear of vitamins

2009-08-11T03:30:00.000-07:00

WOW. You guys are going to love this post - it's a crazy one, and I still can't believe this didn't make the nightly news.

I found this study (published in May 2009 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, see here) that just happened to show exactly what I've been proclaiming about the dangers of supplements.

Here's what went down. This study had 40 men (some athletic, some not) exercise for an ongoing period of time and researchers check their insulin sensitivity (the opposite of insulin resistance). Studies show that our bodies become more sensitive, or receptive, to insulin when we exercise, which is one of the many reasons exercise is so important. Which is what researchers observed in this study in the men who did not take vitamin supplements.

That's right. Half of these men were given vitamin E and C supplements for the duration of the study, the other half took placebo, or "dummy pills". The men who took the supplements had no benefit (in insulin sensitivity) from the same amount of exercise as the men who did not take supplements.

Here's a quote straight from the author of the study: "these findings indicate that physical exercise induces several molecular regulators of insulin sensitivity irrespective of previous training status and that this induction is widely inhibited by antioxidant supplementation". (italics mine)

In other words, antioxidant supplements negate the beneficial effects of exercise when it comes to preventing or managing diabetes!

And if that weren't enough to warrant headlines, researchers also found that the supplements interfered with the body's natural ability to combat free radicals. Now, this is quite ironic, considering that antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin C & E are renown for combating free radical damage. This is big news, because free radicals are what cause cancer, cell mutations and plaque that leads to heart disease.

But here's the deal: antioxidant nutrients that come from food DO fight free radicals. When those nutrients are found unnaturally in supplement form (isolated from the other nutrients and compounds in food) they don't. Worse yet, they interfere with our bodies own antioxidant-fighting molecules derived through exercise.

Neither of these findings are brand-spanking new in the scientific community. Supplements don't work like nutrients from food. They don't benefit us: they harm us. (See my past posts on this topic for more info.)

So why on earth are supplement companies making billions of dollars? I know, I know: fear. But don't you think our fear is misplaced? Instead of being afraid of not taking vitamins (and minerals), I think we need to have a healthy fear of the damage they cause. Call me crazy.

red red wine

2009-07-08T17:05:00.000-07:00

Red red wine. Known for it's beneficial antioxidants (most famous is "resveratrol") that fight cancer and heart disease. Plus, people like it. Even though I'm not a big wine gal myself, I thought I'd write some sweet new findings about it for you winos.

Organic red wine has been shown to have significantly higher levels of resveratrol and other antioxidants vs. conventionally-produced wine. One study in Italy compared 15 red wines, finding those produced organically (without pesticides and chemical fertilizers) were at the top for antioxidant content and bioavailability.

So if you're going to be a wino, don't be a cheap one. Pay the extra dollar and know you are actually investing in your health. But don't overdo it. One glass a day can be beneficial, but more is not. Remember, alcohol is a toxin that produces free radicals, so the key word is moderation. Also, alcohol is a diuretic that causes loss of key electrolyte minerals such as calcium, potassium and magnesium. This not only makes us dehydrated but at risk of bone loss and high blood pressure.

Speaking of organic, let's go more organic. A recent review of 97 peer-reviewed studies found organic produce to be significantly higher in antioxidants, including polyphenols, known for fighting chronic disease and cancer (The Organic Center: www.organic-center.org).

So whether you're a wino or not, going the extra mile for organic produce is priceless. If you don't take care of your body, where are you going to live?

no more girly-men

2009-07-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

So I know I said I wouldn't write any more about soy... but then I saw this amazing article and remembered a few of you had questions about this very topic, so here I go.

An article just published in Fertility and Sterility Journal (who knew there was such a journal?) reviewed over 50 studies in the past year and found that soy foods and supplements do not have any effect on testosterone levels in men. That's right men, the estrogens in soy (called isoflavones) will not make you girly-men. It won't mess with your fertility, and it probably won't make you cry more at movies.

That also means that young boys who drink soy milk will not grow breasts or become androgenous. Good news I say.

Again, I don't think soy foods are more beneficial than other foods like fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, but I do think they've received a ridiculous amount of bad press, and I'd like to bring some science into the popular arena. Whether you choose soy products is up to you, but at least you aren't making a decision based on hype.

2009-06-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

The Journal of the National Cancer Institute just published a study (see http://jnci.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/djp168) that links fats from meat and dairy products with prostate cancer.

aspirin can be evil

2009-06-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

Dr. Oz has done it again. On yesterday's Oprah show he shared some really helpful information about how to prevent colon cancer (by eating high fiber foods of course), then followed it up with poor advice: regular aspirin use.

In doing research for this blog post I've found quite a few studies do show aspirin and other NSAIDS (Non Steriodal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) have been demonstrated to modestly lower risk of colon and colorectal cancer, so I see where Dr. Oz is coming from. But remember, aspirin is a drug, and like any other drug, it has very serious side effects when taken regularly.

One of those side effects is folic acid deficiency. This is pretty ironic, since folic acid plays an enormous role in fighting heart disease and other cancers. Sounds like cutting off your nose to spite your face.

And then of course, most of us are familiar with the aspirin-ulcer connection. It's a biggie.

Speaking of bleeding, aspirin interferes with the body's ability to form blood clots (through platelets). This is often hailed as a blessing, as blood clots can lead to heart attack and stroke. Yet this same mechanism can - and often does - prevent the body from forming life-saving blood clots, which is why an ER doctor will not push aspirin the way a heart doctor will. (I think it's time for the two to have a talk. Heart specialists seem to have no clue how many people end up in the ER from taking aspirin.)

Maybe the worst side effect of taking aspirin regularly is Leaky Gut Syndrome. You really don't want that. Leaky Gut gives us auto-immune disorders like asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, Type I diabetes, cystic fibrosis, irritable bowel, colitis, Crohn's disease, frequent migranes, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, lupus, candida and fibromyalgia - to name a few. It also gives us food allergies, especially to gluten (wheat protein).

The American College of Gastroenterology has this to say about aspirin:
"Aspirin and other NSAIDS have been found to cause damage to the lining (or mucosa) of the digestive tract primarily in the stomach and upper intestine. This damage can result in an ulcer or intestinal bleeding. Although this can happen to an individual who is an infrequent user of aspirin or NSAIDs, it is of a much greater concern in frequent users, and those consuming higher dosages of these medications."

Messing with your gut mucosa is a good way to develop Leaky Gut Syndrome, and thus, one or more auto-immune diseases.

So if you want to prevent colon cancer without jeopardizing the rest of your body, stick to the high fiber diet. It works, and if you increase the amount of fiber you eat slowly over time, there are no side effects.

Soy foods and fertility

2009-06-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

I promise this will be the last blog post on soy foods for a long time. Even though I am a strong advocate of a plant-based diet (vegetarian or vegan), I don't believe soy foods are any more essential to such a diet than garbanzo beans. I'm not saying soy foods aren't great - garbanzo beans are great too - they're just not the focus of this blog. A healthy plant-based diet is possible with or without soy foods.

However, there is some confusion regarding soy foods and fertility. Because soy is loaded with isoflavones (plant-estrogens that can mimic estrogen), it is believed to affect the likelihood of pregnancy. Some studies have shown soy estrogens have no impact whatsoever on a woman trying to conceive, as soy foods do not interfere with menstrual cycles or ovarian function.

This makes sense because soy estrogens (along with other plant-estrogens) only raise estrogen levels when they are low. This also makes sense when we look at Asian women, who consume more soy foods than any other people group and yet have an extremely low prevalence of infertility. So low in fact, certain Asian countries have to put limits on population growth. (Obviously, soy is not hindering fertility in China).

There is a recent study (July 2008) that has linked soy foods with a decreased sperm count in men (published in the Journal of Human Reproduction). However, they found that men who were overweight or obese experienced a significantly lower sperm count than men who had healthy weights. One of the reasons for this is because fat cells, even in men, produce estrogen, which can hinder sperm production in men. Considering that 72% percent of the men with decreased sperm counts were overweight or obese, I would say this seems to be more of an impediment to fertility than soy consumption.

On a personal note, my husband and I both consumed tofu pretty regularly before we had our daughter, and we had no problem getting pregnant. (That was also when my husband was in the best shape of his life!)

So I would conclude that a healthy weight in men is more important than soy intake. And a plant-based diet - with or without soy - is the best fertility diet.

soy estrogens and breast cancer

2009-06-08T15:41:00.000-07:00

Ladies, if you haven't been convinced that soy and phytoestrogens from soy products are beneficial yet, here's more news: the estrogens found in soy and soy protein prevent breast cancer.

A major study published in June's edition of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Am J Clin Nutr 89: 1920-1926, 2009) studied the diets of 73,223 Chinese women over a period of 7.4 years. They found that women who consumed the most soy estrogens, or isoflavones, from food were 59% less likely to develop breast cancer than women who consumed the least. Also, adolescent girls who consumed the most isoflavones from soy foods were 43% less likely to develop premenopausal breast cancer than girls who consumed fewer soy protein.

In the words of the study authors, "This large, population-based, prospective cohort study provides strong evidence of a protective effect of soy food intake against premenopausal breast cancer."

The reason soy estrogens work to prevent breast cancer is because isoflavones have anti-estrogenic - as well as anticarcinogenic - properties. Soy estrogens don't mimic estrogen in the body as many people think they do (unless estrogen levels are dangerously low), but actually lower estrogen levels by keeping estrogen from entering the cells. By blocking cell receptors, soy estrogens keep estrogen levels from climbing high enough to encourage the growth of cancer cells. Also, isoflavones have cancer-fighting properties to boot.

Soy is a huge area of confusion in popular culture (in the U.S.) but not in scientific circles - now you can see why. If you need more encouragement, see past posts citing studies on soy and reproductive cancer. There are tons!

So whether it's tempeh, tofu, soy milk, or edamame - enjoy worry free.

a letter to Dr. Oz

2009-05-26T17:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Dr. Oz,

I rarely watch Oprah, but today I scheduled it in, knowing that you would be talking about how to lose weight without counting calories. I was hoping the solution would be a high-fiber diet, which it was. You shared that the average American only consumes 7 grams of fiber in his/her food a day, and should be getting between 25-35 grams to lose weight, prevent diabetes and bowel disorders, as well as lower the risk of cancer.

You even showed some people who were put on a raw food diet of fruits, vegetables and nuts for a week, and how they lowered their cholesterol by 25%, their blood pressure by 10%, and lost an average of 10 pounds - in a week!

So that was good. I couldn't have been more excited to hear a renowned and popular expert such as yourself convey the same information I have spent the past 10 years trying to get "out there".

Unfortunately, after the first 5 minutes of the Oprah show focused on fiber, things got confusing. In the second piece you shared was how consuming a megaload (1200 mg/day) of calcium will help you lose weight. You showed footage of a study where a young man ate a ridiculously high amount of dairy foods to lose weight. The study revealed the calcium from the foods did help in weight loss, but you applied the results to calcium supplements as well - which have not been found to abet weight loss (not to mention other studies on dairy foods and weight loss have had mixed results). Also, you didn't mention that dairy foods such as milk, cheese and yogurt have no fiber, which you had just emphasized as vital for weight loss. Nor did you add that dairy foods in the United States are loaded with hormones and hormone-mimicking substances, such as antibiotics - which cause fat and cancer cells to replicate at faster-than-normal levels.

To add to the confusion, you talked about how important it is to consume fish regularly in order to combat stress (or cortisol) levels. The real compounds that fight stress found in fish are Omega-3 fatty acids, and you did say there are other ways to consume these fats, like eggs with added Omega-3.

Actually Dr. Oz, I find the best way to avoid stress is by not listening to your advice, because it is SO confusing. Fish and eggs have no fiber, and good luck trying to consume 25-35 grams of fiber in your food if you're regularly consuming either. Not to mention that fish (and eggs) are loaded with mercury, PCB's and pesticides. Or that eggs couldn't be higher in cholesterol. I found this ironic, since you are such a proponent of antioxidants in foods, and yet compounds like mercury and cholesterol cause the free radical oxidation (leading to plaque and cancer, among other things) that antioxidants are necessary to fight.

Dr. Oz, you seem like a smart man. Can you not see the advice you are giving is completely contradictory? Consuming large amounts of dairy, fish and/or eggs is mutually exclusive with consuming a high-fiber diet rich in antioxidants, since fiber and antioxidants come only from fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes. It seems strange that you don't realize that calcium supplements would deplete the body's store of other minerals, such as zinc, copper and manganese, since all these minerals compete for absorption and carriers in the body.

I know you are tired of Americans suffering unnecessarily from chronic disease, but I don't think you are bringing much clarity to the question of what constitutes "good nutrition".

Sincerely,

A concerned nutritionist

P.S. Did you notice that even Oprah looked baffled?

losing big

2009-05-20T17:38:00.000-07:00

I had an amazing experience today that I want to share with you. One of my former nutrition students who took my 12-week class 2 years ago shared her story with my current students, and of course, yours truly.

Pat has lost 54 pounds since she first began my class (and read my book) 2 years ago, and she's kept it off for the duration. In fact, she brought a "before" picture to show us what she looked like, and no wonder I hardly recognized her. Apparently I wasn't the only one - someone even accused her of having gastric bypass surgery!

So I thought I'd pass along her secrets of how to lose over 50 pounds and keep it off:

1) Pat slowly weaned herself off mochas and all calorie containing beverages. Today she only drinks water and tea. She shared that the slow weaning process was important, because it took a while for her to acquire a taste for water again. Now she finds it refreshing.

2) Today Pat eats only when she's hungry and stops when she's no longer hungry. She said this was the hardest part to learn, and I don't doubt it. She realized she ate according to the clock, not her body's hunger. She also noticed she often ate alone, in front of the TV or at her desk.

3) Because she now eats only when she's hungry, Pat usually eats 5 small meals a day. She shared that this requires preparation: to always have healthy snacks on hand, but it's so worth it. She said as strange as it seems, the more often she eats, the more weight she loses.

4) Pat now eats between 35-40 grams of fiber a day from her food. If you recall from this blog or my book, fiber is an indigestible carb that causes weight loss in multiple ways - and it's much easier to consume than Metamucil commercials would have you think:

Fruit and dried fruit
Vegetables (including potatoes with the skin)
Whole grains like brown rice, oatmeal, whole wheat products and popcorn
Legumes, including all nuts, seeds, beans, lentils and peas

Some of my favorite high fiber foods include avocados, pistachios, almonds, black beans, hummus, falafel, peanut butter and artichoke hearts.

Today I felt so affirmed in my role as a nutritionist. I hope if you know anyone struggling to lose weight, you'll pass this along to them. Oh - and if you've already experienced a major health benefit from this blog (or my book or seminars), please do share!

my revelation

2009-05-13T17:15:00.000-07:00

I've recently had a revelation that has helped me understand why Americans eat the way they do: instead of Americans being more ignorant than the rest of the world (or compared to previous generations), I'd like to suggest that there are plenty of brilliant people in the U.S.

However, I think many of them work in marketing and media.

Which means that some of the best American minds are behind the advertising campaigns that promote ridiculous products such as vitamin water, supplements, and processed foods. I also think some of these smarty-folks work at the FDA, ensuring that animal products containing hormones and antibiotics are completely legal, and never regarded as a possible source of cancer and fat cells in those who consume them.

Unfortunately, smart doesn't mean wise, and seldom I find the two together.

So if any of you are still wasting your money on supplements and/or vitamin water (a fantastic marketing idea, but zippo nutritional value), I advise you to give your money instead to a charity that feeds needy people - those who are truly malnourished.

Now for the latest study finding:

A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Vol. 89, No. 5, 1343-1349, May 2009), has found that eating a high-fiber breakfast cereal lowered blood sugar levels both before and after lunch. Those who ate the high-fiber cereal also consumed fewer total calories when in the breakfast/lunch period.

These findings are further evidence that high fiber foods protect against diabetes (and reverse Type II diabetes) and promote weight loss.

Speaking of which, I have had the privilege of receiving feedback from someone who attended my seminar on diabetes last fall. John told me that at age 48, he has now lost 31 pounds and been taken off his diabetes medication due to a high fiber diet. What an inspiration. A high fiber diet works miracles.

live long and eat carotenoids

2009-05-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, I love my garden, but I HATE slugs. Last night I went out to pluck them off the strawberry patch, feeling quite satisfied with myself. Then this morning I go out to check on my almost perfectly ripe strawberry and it's GONE. Not just partially-eaten: missing and without evidence of robbery. So I decided if I couldn't eat my own strawberries (this wasn't the first instance of being losing a strawberry to the slugs), neither could they. I pulled all the strawberries out and into the compost. Now there will be corn growing there.

I felt sad, angry and victimized. I had tried everything to keep the slugs away. It wasn't fair.

But then as I checked on the rasberry bush, what did I find but the first three ripe rasberries of the year! I knew then that God really does love me.

Along with that newsflash, here's some exciting nutrition news about fruits and veggies containing a compound called carotenoids. You might be familiar with beta-carotene. That is one of a handful of carotenoids. Others are called alpha-carotene, β-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, lutein, and zeaxanthin. And yes, all those names will be on the test.

You might have heard that foods like carrots, mangos and sweet potatoes are high in carotenoids, because carotene gives these plants their orange color. But please know that ALL fruit and vegetables are rich in different kinds of carotenoids (like lycopene) that don't produce any distinguishable colors. Spices are also loaded with them.

A new study (The Journal of Nutrition, May 2009) found that men consuming foods high in carotenoids - in other words, fruits and vegetables - were significantly less likely to develop metabolic syndrome (a combination of diabetes, high blood pressure, abdominal or "visceral" fat, and high blood lipids like cholesterol). Men who consumed the most carotenoids in their diet had 50% less likelihood of having metabolic syndrome. Since metabolic syndrome shaves off decades of life, not to mention causing dependence upon dialysis, this is great news.

So how do we fight diabetes, high blood pressure and overall premature death and suffering? I know it's cliche, but the answer is still more fruits and veggies. And don't forget that seasonal, locally-grown and organic produce contain LOADS more carotenoids than their imported, commercially-grown counterparts. So if you want to live long and stay healthy, spend the extra time and money on your produce (and dump the supplements).

In fact, I'm loving the carotenoids in the organic - and yes, store-bought - strawberries I'm savoring right now.

let's get spicy

2009-04-29T03:00:00.000-07:00

Last week my husband had bronchitis. If you've ever had bronchitis, you know how awful it is: unrelinquishing fever, chronic sleep-impeding cough, and overall crappiness.

However, not one to go to a doctor, my husband went online to look for natural remedies. He found one calling for 1 teaspoon of turmeric in warm milk (he used soy milk) and juice from an onion. I admit it wasn't pleasant "medicine", but you would not believe how fast it worked! Five days of illness changed to feeling almost normal in less than one hour. He took his remedy for the next few days, saving himself a doctor's visit and drugs.

So I thought it was time to write about the health benefits of spice.

Spices are getting big press these days for lowering cholesterol, controling blood sugar and preventing age-related diseases like high blood pressure. Some of the spices receiving most of the glory are cinnamon, turmeric and garlic. But here's the deal: where do spices come from? Plants. All spices are derived either from a plant's root (garlic, ginger and onion), seeds (most "spicy" spices), leaves (oregano and rosemary), or even bark (cinnamon). And what do we know about plants? They're where antioxidants come from. Antioxidants fight free radicals, preventing all types of chronic diseases, including cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Spices are so concentrated with antioxidants - which is what gives them their potent flavor and aroma - they even surpass fruits and vegetables, ounce per ounce.

I'm not a proponent of "taking" single spices like cinnamon regularly to fight disease, because we really need all the various types of antioxidants found in different spices. In other words, we need to eat spices in our food; the more variety the better. That means cumin, coriander, cayenne, turmeric, onion, garlic, ginger, oregano, rosemary, peppers, paprika, basil, curry, dill and many more.

How do you find recipes using said spices? Again, my favorite cookbook is a good start: Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home. Just last night I whipped up a dish with ginger, lime juice, cilantro, onion, cabbage, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and coconut milk (called Caribbean Vegetable Stew). This cookbook is loaded with delicious, spicy recipes that are fast and easy. When dining out, go for Italian, Mexican (salsa), Japanese, Indian or Thai food to bump up the spice. Getting spicy is scrumptious and good for us.

bones and protein

2009-04-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have heard me talk (or write) about how osteoporosis is NOT an issue of calcium deficiency - and have found it very hard to believe, since you've heard opposing information all of your life - I have a great new study for you.

The study, titled Veganism, Bone Mineral Density, and Body Composition: a Study in Buddhist Nuns, published in Osteoporosis International Journal (April 7, 2009), found that although vegans had lower dietary calcium and protein intakes than omnivores, veganism did not have adverse effect on bone mineral density and did not alter body composition.

Researchers compared 105 postmenopausal Buddhist nuns adhering to a vegan (no meat, eggs or dairy) diet to 105 omnivorous postmenopausal women in Vietnam to see if there were differences in bone density. Even though the vegan women consumed significantly LESS calcium (as well as less protein) than the omnivorous women, there was no difference in bone density.

Researchers even stated, "Further analysis suggested that whole body BMD [Bone Mineral Density]... was positively correlated with the ratio of animal protein to vegetable protein." In other words, the higher the amount of plant protein, the less likelihood of bone loss and vice versa: the higher the animal-derived protein, the greater likelihood of bone loss.

Which brings me back to my point: osteoporosis is not due to calcium deficiency, it is due to a diet high in animal protein. In this particular study, the vegan women consumed an average of less than 400 mg of calcium a day, far from the recommended 1000-1500 mg calcium many Americans try to attain. Yet the vegan women only consumed about 35 grams/day plant protein, in contrast to omnivorous women at 62 grams/day. If you recall, animal protein is especially high in sulfuric acid, and since meat is so high in overall protein, it raises the uric acid level in our body. In order to neutralize these acids, our body leaches out calcium from the bones, which ultimately ends up in our urine (or kidneys, as kidney stones).

So what should we do to avoid bone loss? Minimize our intake of animal protein and replace it with plant protein. That means more legumes (beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds).

brain fat

2009-04-14T16:16:00.000-07:00

Our brains are primarily comprised of fat, so you could say we're all fatheads... which explains why the type of fat we consume has an enormous effect on how well our brains work in later life - what's called "cognitive function" or "cognitive decline".

A recent study published in the journal Diabetes Care (32:635-640, 2009) found that elderly diabetic women who consumed more trans-fat (partially-hydrogenated oils) and saturated fat in their younger years were significantly more likely to experience cognitive decline when compared to elderly women who consumed the lowest levels of these fats.

One of the reasons this makes sense is because trans-fat and saturated fat increase LDL (bad) cholesterol, which contributes to increased plaque formation. The more plaque in our arteries, the lower the oxygen supply to our brain, since plaque limits blood circulation (blood carries oxygen). When brain cells don't receive adequate oxygen over time they begin to die, and that ultimately causes "cognitive decline".

On the flip side, good fats, like Omega-3 fatty acid and monousaturated fat, improve circulation and therefore, oxygen delivery to the brain.

So where do all these fats come from? Trans-fat is mainly found in processed foods; saturated fat mainly comes from foods of animal origin: meats, dairy products, and eggs; Omega-3 and monounsaturated fat are found throughout unprocessed plant foods: fruit, vegetables, whole grains and legumes (beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds).

So should we all expect to experience serious memory loss as we age? Absolutely not. How we eat now determines the health of our brain later. And if you want to be truly inspired to take care of your brain, make a trip to a rest home soon.

cocoa lowers blood pressure

2009-04-07T03:30:00.000-07:00

Yes. That's right. You knew there was a reason you subscribed to this blog. Finally, a study you can sink your teeth into: regular consumption of cocoa (via dark chocolate) has been shown to lower blood pressure without causing weight gain, increasing cholesterol or glucose levels. And it's believed to be due to a phytochemical (phyto = "plant") in cocoa called polyphenol.

The study, published in Journal of the American Medical Association (2007;298:49-60), randomly assigned men and women with hypertension to receive either 6.3 g (30 kcal) per day of dark chocolate containing 30 mg of polyphenols or the same amount of polyphenol-free white chocolate. After 18 weeks, researchers found those participants consuming dark chocolate had significantly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels. Overall, the prevalence of high blood pressure declined from 86% to 68% in this group. No changes were observed in the white chocolate group (white chocolate does not contain any cocoa).

For those of you who are skeptical that regular consumption of dark chocolate will not cause weight gain, note that the amount used in this study is VERY small. Thirty calories of dark chocolate is equivalent to only a few bites. So don't be overly ambitious about all this. The polyphenols in dark chocolate are powerful in low levels. Savor those few bites and know they are GOOD for you.

What's in season

2009-04-02T22:19:00.000-07:00

Okay, if you've been reading this blog for long, or heard me speak, you know how important it is to eat foods that are in-season. This is one of the ways we maximize nutrient content in our foods (besides organic and locally-grown produce).

It's Spring and it's time to start eating the three A's. For those of us blessed to live in California, that means Artichokes, Asparagus and Avocados. These delicious veggies (actually, avocados are fruit), are just coming into their heyday, and even though asparagus is expensive, it has a VERY short season - about a month - so get it while you can, with all those precious nutrients. Try artichokes dipped in Vegennaise vs. mayonnaise or butter. It's sabroso.

Also, keep your eyes out for strawberries and peas, which will be in their peak during mid-April.

And while we're at it, this is the time to start planting a garden! Today I picked green and red leaf lettuce from my garden and devoured the freshest salad I've ever had. I added avocado slices, sunflower seeds, raisins, dried cranberries topped with Annie's Goddess salad dressing.

In a week or so I'll be planting tomatoes, basil, corn and cilantro. Can you believe a year ago I was afraid to garden, certain I'd fail? And while I have failed at a few things, I've learned a lot along the way. The best of which is that produce from your own garden tastes like nothing else.

childhood soy intake

2009-03-30T21:15:00.000-07:00

When I speak on childhood nutrition, a common concern is soy intake and it's relationship to children's hormonal status. Many mothers have been taught (by people paid by the Dairy Council, I believe) that the plant estrogens in soy can mess up a child's development.

In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. A brand new study just proved this, again.

A study called "Childhood Soy Intake and Breast Cancer Risk in Asian-American Women", published online in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention Journal (vol.18), shows that Asian women who consumed the greatest amount of soy as children (under age 12) had a 60% lower risk of developing breast cancer as adults.

The study also showed a lower risk of breast cancer in women who consumed the most soy in adolescence and adulthood (20-25% less risk).

One of the reasons why I believe we see this enormous benefit of plant estrogens in children is because those who consumed the most soy were likely to enter puberty later. Myriad studies show that the later girls enter puberty, the lower the incidence of breast cancer in adulthood. Because plant estrogens in soy and other plant foods (fruit, veg.s, whole grains and legumes) lower real estrogen levels when they are unnaturally high by blocking the receptor sites on cell membranes, girls consuming more plant estrogens - whether in soy or other plant-based foods - would enter puberty at an optimum time, believed to be around age 17.

If entering puberty at age 17 sound far-fetched to you, know that plenty of young girls eating a vegan or vegetarian diet have this experience. It also used to be common in Western countries up to the turn of the 20th century, when meat was a luxury, due to lack of refrigeration. This age is still common for girls today in developing countries, where a plant-based diet is the norm for families who are not wealthy. In contrast, breast cancer is extremely uncommon.

One more thing: I am not a huge proponent of processed soy foods on a regular basis. You know, where you just exchange a hamburger for a Boca burger. Don't get me wrong, a Boca burger is a million times better than a hamburger, but because it's processed, as opposed to tofu, tempeh, miso, edename, or soy milk, it's lost a lot of nutrients and I put it in the category of "processed foods" as opposed to "plant foods". So make those fake meats only an occasional part of your diet.

And help dispel the myth that soy estrogens are anything but beneficial!

mushrooms and green tea

2009-03-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

While we're on the topic of preventing breast cancer (wouldn't that be SO much better than "fighting" it?), apparently mushrooms and green tea help tremendously.

A study in the International Journal of Cancer (Volume 124 Issue 6, Pages 1404 - 1408) compared over 1000 Chinese women with breast cancer to the same number of women with no history of breast cancer. When the researchers looked at dietary differences, they found that women who consumed mushrooms (fresh or dried) and green tea daily had 81% less risk of breast cancer than those who did not consume mushrooms or greent tea regularly. In particular, women who consumed 10 grams of fresh mushrooms (the equivalent of one small white mushroom) and drank green tea daily had 89% less risk of breast cancer.

I think this study is pretty incredible, considering how few mushrooms are necessary to see such a risk reduction. But it isn't surprising, considering that all plants (whether mushrooms or tea - or kiwi or tomatoes) have powerful compounds known as "phytochemicals" or "phytonutrients". Phyto is latin for "plant", and decades of research have shown us that all plants contain compounds that are beneficial for preventing cancer, heart disease, arthritis, and myriad other chronic illnesses.

In fact, most pharmaceutical drugs are derived from plants, using "phytochemicals" that occur in nature. The difference is that in drugs these compounds are isolated and concentrated to a degree that is unnatural. They work, but create unnatural side effects.

So let's get the benefits of plants the old-fashioned way: eating more fruit, veg.s, whole grains and legumes (beans, peas, lentils, nuts/seeds). And let's drink green tea to wash them down.

anti-breast cancer eating

2009-03-19T19:48:00.000-07:00

This just in, published in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (April 2009): legumes help prevent breast cancer.

Actually, the study authors said it more like this, "Our results suggest that a diet characterized by a low intake of meat/starches and a high intake of legumes is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer in Asian Americans".

This study, titled "Dietary Patterns and Breast Cancer Risk in Asian-American Women", looked at the diets of over 1200 women with incident breast cancer and compared them with similar women with no history of breast cancer. They made three patterns of diet to describe the diversity of food intake, a "western-meat/starch" diet, an "ethnic-meat/starch" diet, and a "vegetable/soy" diet. Women consuming a high "western-meat/starch" and low "vegetable/soy" were over twice as likely to have breast cancer in study participants.

By the way, there is no doubt in my mind that these findings apply to ALL women, regardless of their genes, since nutrition studies tend to find the same results across race and cultures.

don't forget!

2009-03-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Don't forget Sacramento-ish locals, a very amazing woman will be speaking here soon:

Marlene Marcello-McKenna
“When Hope Never Dies”

Monday, April 6th
6:30 p.m. Healthy plant-based food tasting
7:00 p.m. Presentation
$10 per person – Call 916-482-8123 for reservations
4120 S. Market Ct., Sacramento CA 95834

Once diagnosed with terminal cancer, Marlene has been cancer-free for 22 years. She follows a macrobiotic diet and in her early 60's, is an inspiration for anyone who's had a run-in with cancer.

******

One a side note, just wanted to share an interesting study just published in The Journal of Nutrition (March 2009):

Increasing Total Fiber Intake Reduces Risk of Weight and Fat Gains in Women

In the study, 252 women were tracked for 20 months. Researchers found that the women who consumed the most fiber were the least likely to gain weight over the study period (almost 50% of the women gained weight and fat during the 20 months).

In fact, the statistical analysis showed for every 1 gram increase in dietary fiber consumed, weight decreased by .25 kg and body fat decreased by .25 percentage points. This was even true when the study accounted for physical activity and dietary fat intake.

So just in case you haven't read my little book, The UnDiet, which tells you all that - be encouraged that weight loss is much easier than you've been lead to believe. Just get 25-40 grams of fiber in your diet a day. And that's easy when you remember that fruit, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, lentils, avocados and popcorn are all high in fiber!

soybeans and Alzheimer's

2009-03-10T03:30:00.000-07:00

A recent article published in Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry shows soybeans may help prevent Alzheimer's disease. Natto, a fermented food made from boiled soybeans, contains an enzyme that has been demonstrated in lab experiments to dissolve amyloids - the tangled proteins involved in Alzheimer's disease.

Since natto is consumed throughout Asia, "western" foods likely to contain the same amyloid-busting properties would be miso (as in miso soup), tempeh and tofu.

Hsu et al., "Amyloid-Degrading Ability of Nattokinase from Bacillus Subtilis Natto," Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 57 (2009).

******

Since this was such a short blogpost and so many of you seem to love the recipes I post from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home cookbook, I thought I'd post a new favorite of mine: Bulghur Burgars. These are so delicious served with lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup and veganaise on whole wheat buns.

Bulghur Burgers

3 cups water
2 garlic cloves, minced
1&1/2 cups bulghur
2 TBSP vegetable oil

1/2 cup chopped scallions
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup tahini
2 TBSP tomato paste
2 TBSP soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Bring water to a boil. While it is heating, use a heavy pan or skillet to saute the garlic and bulghur in the oil on medium-high heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the boiling water. Return to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat tot low. Simmer for 15-20 minutes, until all the water is absorbed and the bulghur is soft but still chewy.

When the bulghur is ready, stir in all the other foods. With moistened hands, form the bulghur mixture into 6-8 burgers. Cook them in a lightly oiled heavy skillet on medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, flipping the burgers once when the outside is crunchy.

what I'll tell Oprah

2009-03-02T18:04:00.000-08:00

For those of you who have heard me speak, you may have heard me share what I plan to say when I'm on the Oprah show(someday). I have it all planned: I'll lean over, look at the audience then at Oprah and say, "Oprah, beans are the new meat".

Actually, make that "legumes". And they really ARE the new meat. In fact, they were the old meat before agricultural subsidies made meat so affordable.

Legumes: beans, lentils, peas, nuts and seeds are the new meat because they are high in protein and make us full, like meat, but plant protein is infinately more healthy than animal protein. Also, unlike animal protein, legumes are so high in fiber and myriad other nutrients, including beneficial fats like Omega-3 and monounsaturated fats.

Meat is SO 1999.

A scientific journal last month published an article("The low-methionine content of vegan diets may make methionine restriction feasible as a life extension strategy," Medical Hypotheses February 2009) confirming that rats and mice consuming lower amounts of methionine - an amino acid very high in animal protein, and significantly lower in plant protein - live longer. The article called the effect of methionine restriction an "aging retardant" at the cellular level.

Interesting also that excess methionine also converts to homocysteine, a well-known compound involved in all sorts of cancer and chronic disease, as well as premature aging. Homocysteine levels are routinely checked for people with heart disease, although most people are simply told to take a folic acid supplement to lower homocysteine (folic acid is a natural antagonist to homocysteine).

I recently had a woman tell me she had a stroke and when doctors checked her biomarkers (blood pressure, cholesterol, lipids, etc.) everything was normal... except she had high levels of homocysteine.

If we all cut back on (or cut out) animal protein and replaced it with legumes, we would have very low levels of methionine and homocysteine - as well as naturally high levels of folic acid, since legumes are the best source of this nutrient.

So get with the times, and tell your friends: "beans (and other legumes) are the NEW meat."

speaking of cancer

2009-02-24T15:28:00.000-08:00

For those of you who live in the Sacramento region, the woman I wrote about, Marlene McKenna, who miraculously cured herself of "untreatable" cancer through her diet, will be speaking here.

She will be speaking at a group called HealthyU, which is open to all. The meeting is at Skyline Christian Center in Natomas (4120 South Market Court, Sacramento CA 95834) on April 6th. Come at 6:30 for raw food samples, followed by the meeting at 7pm.

And I just have to share this dish I made last week: Tunisian Vegetable Stew (from Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home). It was so good, even my 5-year-old loved it!

Serve over whole wheat couscous or brown rice.

1&1/2 cups chopped onions
2 TBSP olive oil
3 cups thinly sliced cabbage
dash of salt
1 large green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne
1 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1&1/2 cups drained cooked chickpeas (16 oz can)
1/3 cups currants or raisins
1 TBSP lemon juice
salt to taste

In a large skillet, saute the onions in the olive oil for five minutes, or until softened. Add the cabbage, sprinkle with salt, and continue to saute for at least five minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, coriander, turmeric, cinnamon, and cayenne to the skillet and saute for another minute or so. Stir in the tomatoes, chckpeas, and optional currants or raisins, and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes, until vegetables are just tender. Add the lemon juice and salt to taste.

Top with feta cheese (I used vegan feta cheese), and toasted almonds if you like.

more nuts please

2009-02-24T03:30:00.000-08:00

The Journal of Nutrition recently posted some articles from the Nuts and Health Symposium. Would you believe nuts were found to prevent heart disease, lower glucose levels in diabetics and now we have proof that regular nut consumption doesn't cause weight gain?

Yep. All that was covered in the Symposium.

Here's a few quotes from the Journal of Nutrition's (Sept. 2008) article, titled The Role of Tree Nuts and Peanuts in the Prevention of Coronary Heart Disease: Multiple Potential Mechanisms:

"A pooled analysis of 4 U.S. epidemiologic studies showed that subjects in the highest intake group for nut consumption had an 35% reduced risk of CHD incidence."

In other words, looking at four different studies showed that those who ate the most nuts had 35% less likelihood of developing heart disease. That's a lot, 35%. Can you imagine if all Americans had 35% less risk of heart disease? According to these studies, all it would take is consuming more nuts (including peanuts). This is believed to be due to a combination of the healthy fats in nuts (monounsaturated and Omega-3), phytochemicals and of course, fiber - among other things.

Here's another quote from a paper called Possible Benefit of Nuts in Type 2 Diabetes:

"Data from the Nurses Health Study indicates that frequent nut consumption is associated with a reduced risk of developing diabetes..."

And another, from Impact of Peanuts and Tree Nuts on Body Weight and Healthy Weight Loss in Adults:

"Epidemiological studies document an inverse association between the frequency of nut consumption and BMI".

That means that people who eat the most nuts are the least likely to be overweight, and vice versa.

Hurray! Something most people like (or even love) is proven to be good for us!

simple things

2009-02-16T15:18:00.000-08:00

Last night I had the privilege of watching an incredible documentary about a woman named Marlene Marcello McKenna. At age forty she had been diagnosed with a very aggressive, widespread cancer and given a maximum of 6 months to live. Guess what? Twenty years later, she's doing better than ever. In the documentary, one of her doctors says what happened to Marlene is akin to a fire spreading throughout a house, but goes out on its own, with no fire fighting (I guess chemotherapy would be "fire fighting").

I bet you can guess what happened. She radically changed her diet to a "macrobiotic" diet. This is a diet based on whole grains, legumes and vegetables. Even though I believe in the power of diet on health as much as anyone, I still find it unbelievable to hear stories like Marlene's - and there are many more.

One of the most common foods in a macrobiotic diet is brown rice. Even though I don't adhere to this diet, I finally did something I should have done long ago: I bought a rice cooker. Yes, it took this nutritionist this long to realize how much easier life would be with a rice cooker (and urging by friends)... and it is! Like a crockpot, you can put the rice and water in the cooker, switch it on, and come home to warm brown rice. It never burns, since the cooker switches off once all the water has boiled off. Brown rice is so easy to add to things: soups, bean burritos, and of course, vegetable stir-fries.

Maybe all of you readers already know this, and you're laughing that I'm so excited. But for you who don't have one, this is an inexpensive time-saving device that will help you eat healthier. Don't wait, there just isn't time to waste!

And let me know how you like it.

cured meats

2009-02-10T09:38:00.000-08:00

I know most people reading this blog don't consume much in the way of cured meats, but maybe you know people who do - or worse yet, feed it to their children. That includes sausage, pepperoni, hot dogs, lunch meats like bologna, salami, ham and pork products. This is not the first study to find a strong link to cured meats and leukemia in children, but maybe word will get out, and it will be the last.

A new study shows that consumption of cured and smoked meat and fish is correlated to the risk of leukemia, the most common form of cancer in children, while higher consumption of vegetables and bean-curd is associated with reduced risk. This population-based study in Taiwan compared 145 acute leukemia cases to 370 matched controls, ages 2 to 20 years old. A suggested reason for the increased risk is the formation of carcinogenic N-nitroso compounds in the stomach upon consumption of smoked and cured meats.

Liu C, Hsu Y, Wu M, et al. Cured meat, vegetables, and bean-curd foods in relation to childhood acute leukemia risk: A population based case-control study. BMC Cancer 2009;9:15.

a letter to my doctor

2009-02-03T03:00:00.000-08:00

I had to visit my physician a few weeks ago since I have restless limb syndrome. For some reason my doctor decided it'd be good for me to be tested for my iron and cholesterol levels. Since we pay out of pocket for health care, I told him I was a nutritionist and even though I'm older than 35, I'm sure my cholesterol is very low. So just the iron test please.

A few days later I get a call from my physician's office on my answering machine, and without telling me what my iron levels were (most women throughout reproductive ages are "borderline anemic" due to blood loss each month), the secretary told me my doctor would like me to take an iron supplement THREE TIMES A DAY, along with a vitamin C supplement (vitamin C aids in the absorption of non-heme iron). In other words, my doctor who apparently knows nothing about nutrition or supplements, wants me to take six supplements a day.

So here's the problem(s) with this logic: vitamin C is an antioxidant, and when ingested via a pill, acts as a pro-oxidant, creating loads of free radicals which cause the creation of plaque and cancer cells, simply put. While it's true vitamin C does help in the absorption of iron, these "synergistic effects" are limited to food, not supplements.

And if that weren't enough, iron itself is a powerful pro-oxidant, creating free radicals in our bodies. It's even believed that one of the reasons women live longer than men is due to lower iron levels throughout the pre-menopausal years. Studies in men who give blood regularly show that by lowering their iron levels, they are less likely to have oxidized forms of LDL cholesterol that contribute to heart disease and stroke. Some researchers believe that we need to re-classify what are considered to be healthy iron levels, and thus change standards currently based on iron levels in men to that of lower levels found in women.

In addition, hemochromatosis is the most common genetic disorder known in humans, with 24 million people worldwide at risk for this horrible disease. People with this condition are unable to eliminate excess iron from their bodies, resulting in heart disease and liver cancer.

In other words, excess iron is incredibly toxic. This is why we hear news reports from time to time about children who got into their parents' iron pills and had to have their stomachs pumped. This is why iron supplements come with tamperproof lids.

But here's some good news: although most of us learned that heme iron (found in meats) is more readily absorbed than iron found in plants (non-heme), this is actually a good thing. Heme iron is almost always absorbed, whether your body needs it or not. Non-heme iron (found in vegetables, grains and legumes) is only absorbed in proportion to your body's need. If your iron levels are high, less non-heme iron will be absorbed, and if they're low, you'll absorb more. Now, doesn't that sound safe and healthy?

Suffice it to say next time I meet with my doctor he's going to learn a thing or two. Hope you do too.

my famous bread recipe

2009-01-28T16:40:00.000-08:00

Here's a bread recipe I have to share (it would be evil of me not to), since it's AMAZING and of course, incredibly healthy:

Using a bread machine:

Fill a two-cup pyrex measuring cup with 1/3 cup honey, then add water until it reaches 1 and 2/3rd's cup. Microwave for 1 minute and mix honey with water thoroughly. Pour mixture into bread pan. Add 1 TBSP oil.

Add 2 cups whole wheat flour on top of liquid in the bread pan, then a rounded 1/4 cup gluten. Add tsp salt. Add 1 and 1/2 cups more whole wheat. Then add 1/4 cup flax seeds and another 1/4 cup sunflower seeds.

Make a "well" in the middle of flour (not so deep as to touch the liquid at bottom), and pour in the contents of a yeast packet.

Put pan into bread machine and set for whole wheat bread. Enjoy!

Healthy at 100

2009-01-28T03:30:00.000-08:00

Do you ever wonder at that statistic claiming Americans are now living longer than ever before? Thanks to my latest read: Healthy at 100, by John Robbins (son of the Baskin-Robbins ice cream empire), I finally understand. Americans are living to a longer average age, due to drugs and medical technology, but they also begin dying sooner in life than ever before. In other words, Americans don't just live longer, they take longer to die. That doesn't sound nearly as good as the original statistic.

In contrast, John Robbins portrays four remote people groups (two in the Near East, one in South America, and one in Japan - the Okinawans) who were studied in great detail within the last 40 years, and noted for their longevity. These folks shocked researchers since not only did a high percentage live to be centenarians (100 years old), but they lived incredibly healthy, mobile lives in their 80's and 90's. Investigators found almost no cancer, dementia, arthritis, diabetes, or signs of heart disease at all. And perhaps best of all, people took very little time to die, as opposed to living with chronic disease for decades.

So besides physical activity, what do these populations have in common? Of course, their diets were free from processed foods since they lived in remote areas. What did they eat? Mostly plant foods. Each group consumed 90% or more of their calories from fruit, vegetables, grains and legumes. In addition, you can bet their produce was fresh, since they didn't have imported foods. These groups ate plant foods that were organic, locally-grown and in season. They are a nutritionist's dream... and a real life reminder to the rest of us that what we eat determines the way we age.

So in case you don't read Healthy at 100 for yourself, please remember this: we don't have to suffer chronic disease and end up in a care facility in our senior years. We have the power to prevent disease and aging, but the time to use this power isn't when we've been diagnosed with an illness - it's right now. So what's stopping you?

you are where you eat

2009-01-19T21:14:00.000-08:00

I found this on the Treehugger blog.

I know, I know, cooking at home is a hassle. It requires meal planning, grocery shopping, then cooking and some type of cleaning up. But it's WORTH IT. Not only do people who cook weigh less (like way, way less) and tend to be oodles healthier, they live longer and take less time to die - in contrast to so many Americans who have chronic disease in their midlife.

Who in the world convinced us that we could have it all? And why did we believe it? You can't take shortcuts and expect them not to catch up on you. Especially when you're talking about your health. YOUR HEALTH.

One more thing. I am a total princess and would love to have maids and butlers wait on me all day long. Sometimes I feel like so much of my time is devoted to purchasing, cooking and consuming food that I despair starting another grocery list. I'm no better than anyone else. But once I push past the princess-ness, it feels good, really good. I actually like figuring out what recipes I'm going to try, making my list and shopping (I love running into people at the store). And most shockingly, I find cooking to be asthetically pleasing, calming and dare I say, artistic? I also love to share what I've made with friends and aquaintances, allowing me to get to know them better.

So don't let this crazy fast-paced culture we live in rob you of one of the most basic pleasures in life: food. And your decision will pay you back. I promise.

With that said, it would be unfair for me not to post a new recipe I tried tonight and found surprisingly tasty. It's from the cookbook, Moosewood Restaurant Cooks at Home.

North African Couscous Paella

Cooking time: 20 minutes (FYI: I highly suggest doubling this recipe so you'll have lots on hand throughout the week)

2 TBSP vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
4 scallions, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp tumeric
pinch of cayenne

2 cups hot vegetable stock or hot water
3/4 pound baked flavored tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup whole wheat couscous
1 TBSP margarine or butter (I use Earth Balance)
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a 2-quart saucepan. Add the peppers, scallions, garlic, coriander, tumeric and cayenne, and saute on medium heat for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the water or stock. Add the tofu and cook for anotehr 3-4 minutes until the tofu is hot. Stir in the peas and cook for another minute. Mix in the couscous and the margarine or butter. Cover, remove from heat, and let stand for 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.

Finally: the "Turn Back the Clock Challenge". I challenge all you readers to eat out less - precisely half the amount you eat out now - for one month. Find a good vegan/vegetarian cookbook or two, and get on it. Then post your experience on this blog! You can do it. YOU ARE WORTH IT.

speechless in Sacramento

2009-01-12T15:13:00.000-08:00

There's nothing better than to believe you have played a role in greatly improving someone's life. It reminds me why I chose a career in health prevention (nutrition) rather than the more secure, better paying path of medicine. Helping people live healthy, long lives is money in the bank for me - or better yet, treasure in heaven.

Last week, as I began to teach my first of twelve nutrition classes at CalPERS, I asked a former student to share her experience with my class. I'll call her Sara. Sara shared how she took the class because she had recently been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, which is an auto-immune disease so debilitating that without medicine, people are confined to a wheelchair within years of diagnosis. And because this disease is so serious, chemotherapy is used in treatment. Unfortunately, chemo doesn't just stop the progression of rheumatoid arthritis, but destroys the immune system.

So needless to say, Sara wanted to see if diet could make a difference. She shared that after radically changing her diet by eliminating almost all dairy, meats, eggs and processed foods, she experienced a difference within only three weeks. Her doctor cut the amount of chemo in half! And now, months later, her doctor is taking her off her medicine entirely.

Seriously. I'm stunned. I'm still taking time to believe it myself.

The effects of a plant-based diet can't be overstated, even with extremely serious disease thought "untreatable". Please share this with everyone you know. Even if they don't listen now, they'll remember it if they are diagnosed with a tragic illness in the future. You could help save someone's life.

fiber prevents breast cancer

2009-01-03T17:28:00.000-08:00

What does a high-fiber diet have to do with breast cancer? More than we thought.

In a recent study (Dec 15 2008, Journal of Clinical Oncology) researchers found high-fiber diets reduced recurrence of breast cancer by 31 percent in women with high estrogen levels. In the study, almost 3,000 breast cancer survivors were assigned to either a high-fiber diet (8 fruit and vegetable servings/day, plus 16 oz of vegetable juice), or a comparison diet of just five servings of fruit and vegetables/day.

Yes, fruits and vegetables help prevent cancer and recurrence of cancer as this study shows - even in women with higher-than-normal estrogen levels. If what we eat makes this significant of a difference, why are doctors prescribing drugs as if there were no other choice?

Gold EB, Pierce JP, Natarajan L, et al. Dietary Pattern Influences Breast Cancer Prognosis in Women Without Hot Flashes: The Women's Healthy Eating and Living Trial. J Clin Oncol. Dec 15 2008.

fruit and veggies prevent osteoporosis

2008-12-17T16:23:00.000-08:00

I just read a study that makes me proud I received my Masters in nutrition from Tufts. (I don't care for their Nutrition Newsletter, so sometimes I'm not nearly as proud).

This particular study was lead by my old professor Katie Tucker (oh my gosh, I know her!), and really throws the supplement, pharmaceutical and dairy industries for a loop, so you know I'm happy. It was also published in the Journal of Nutrition (Oct. 2008) if you want to read it yourself online.

They followed elderly men and women age 75 and older for four years, assessing bone loss and vitamin C intake. It was found that elderly men who consumed the most vitamin C in their diet had no bone loss, even though they had low calcium intake.

This makes sense since vitamin C plays a huge role in calcium absorption and metabolism. But who knew what a strong role this vitamin plays even when calcium levels are low?

Vitamin C didn't seem to protect women from bone loss in this study, believed to be due to the estrogen and calcium supplements which women take which "can complicate vitamin C interactions" (Tucker).

Ironically, taking the hormones and supplements industries push on us can actually counteract the beneficial effects of nutrients from our diet. In other words, taking pills can exacerbate bone loss, not necessarily prevent it.

So folks, if osteoporosis is on your mind, forget the pills: eat the fruit and veggies. And remember, locally-grown, seasonal, and organic produce has significantly more vitamin C, so you're getting your money's worth spending the extra penny.

a chronic fatigue-fighting diet

2008-12-16T04:00:00.000-08:00

After writing almost two hundred posts on this blog, I sometimes wonder if it's worth it. My highest hope is to help people prevent disease, gain energy, heal, and lose weight. I can't hear enough success stories - they're almost miraculous - and inspire me to continue sharing what I know with others.

A few days ago, I heard from an old acquaintance of mine, Kim. When I last saw her about a year ago, she was struggling with chronic fatigue, mood disturbances and tingling/numbness of her ligaments due to Lyme disease. I encouraged her that a plant-based diet can help heal even the most unlikely diseases (because it boosts the immune system and circulation), and I guess I convinced her, because she immediately changed her diet - and quickly noticed the relief from her symptoms.

Here's Kim's story in her own words"
"I began completely avoiding refined sugar, increased fruit, vegetable and fiber intake tremendously, drinking green tea daily, with a minimal amount of meat. Within 1 month, my energy level increased tremendously and leveled off my intense mood disturbances. Not "cured" from lyme or babesia but, holding steady today and definitely much, much more functional than ever, since my first onset of symptoms."

Kim also wrote that she's feels "90% herself" energy-wise, no longer needs an afternoon nap, and has lost 15 pounds.

Of course, Kim's doctor never told her nutrition could help, because he doesn't know. I mean, who would possibly think that a plant-based diet could have such power over a prognosis like Lyme disease - or any other auto-immune disease?

The good news is the same as the bad: What we put in our bodies is SO powerful.

Net Acid Excretion

2008-12-08T16:32:00.000-08:00

Can I just say how tired I am of telling people that animal protein causes bone loss? It's tiresome because this is NOT a subject of scientific controversy - it's something everyone should learn in kindergarden. There is so much evidence for this, and it's so important... why am I one of a only a few nutritionists talking about it?

Here's some more research for you:

In a recent study done by my alma mater (Tufts University, published in Journal of Renal Nutrition, Sept. 2008), they measured the acidity in the urine of vegans, lacto-ovo vegetarians and omnivores. They found mean estimated Net Acid Excretion (NAE) values were significantly different: 17.3 +/- 14.5 mEq/day for vegans, 31.3 +/- 8.5 mEq/day for lacto-ovo vegetarians, and 42.6 +/- 13.2 mEq/day for omnivores (analysis of variance, P = .01).

Net Acid Excretion (NAE) is a measurement of blood acidity which is largely due to dietary factors. Many studies have shown an strong positive "inverse" relationship between NAE and bone density. In other words, people with the highest blood acidity have less dense bones. This recent study shows what a powerful role diet plays in sparing bone loss: meat-eaters had 2&1/2 times the NAE than vegans, and almost half that of lacto-ovo vegetarians!

So next time someone asks you how you "get your calcium" when they hear you don't consume dairy products or calcium supplments, ask them what their Net Acid Excretion is!

shocking blood pressure

2008-12-03T16:51:00.000-08:00

I usually don't use my personal experience to convey nutrition anecdotes, but I think I just might have to.

When I used to give blood regularly, the nurses would ALWAYS ask if I was an athlete because my blood pressure was so low (not dangerously low, however). One time a nurse even told me the man before me had incredibly low blood pressure because he was a mountain climber. Then she told me my blood pressure was even lower, and asked if I climbed mountains too.

I would always answer by telling them that I was somewhat of an athlete, but not that serious, and my low blood pressure was due primarily to my diet, as I was a vegan. They never really seemed to believe me.

When I was pregnant and my midwives constantly took my blood pressure, they would also comment that I had "the arteries of an athlete". I didn't bother telling them it was my diet. It was interesting though, that even at nine months pregnant, my blood pressure was not quite 120 over 80.

But I'm no super-athlete. It's my diet. I'll prove it.

In a study published in Public Health Nutrition (Oct. 2002), researchers looked at the blood pressures of people from four groups: meat-eaters, fish-eaters, vegetarians and vegans. They found mean systolic and diastolic blood pressures were significantly different between the four diet groups, with meat eaters having the highest values and vegans the lowest values. Vegans had blood pressures 1/2 to 1/3 lower than meat-eaters.

A lower blood pressure means increased circulation, more oxygen delivered to cells - including heart, brain and immune cells. Lower blood pressure means not only will you live longer, but feel better, be less sick and have tons more energy (oxygen will do that, you know). Oh yes, and you will age more slowly.

calorie counting can work

2008-11-25T19:44:00.000-08:00

I used to be strongly opposed to calorie counting, since I was utterly convinced it didn't do anything but make people crazy and depressed. Then I met Norbert, a fellow at the rock climbing gym who lost 30 pounds and kept it off for about 2 years. Recently, I met Norbert's friend Tom, who also lost 30 pounds and has kept it off.

So alas, I can't reject calorie counting anymore. Obviously, sometimes it really works.

Both these men use an online computer site called: www.myfooddiary.com. They say it only takes five minutes a day. So please check it out and let me know if it works for you. (Nutritionists need to know this stuff).

Maybe you won't want to start until January... 'tis the season!

it works!

2008-11-18T19:48:00.000-08:00

A few months back I gave a lecture on weight loss and preventing diabetes to a group of dietitians. I would say I was well received by the audience, but the coordinators of the group were taken a little off-guard. These were women trained in "dietetics", which largely supports any chemicals and/or substances approved by the FDA (read: artificial sweeteners & arficial everything, MSG, partially-hydrogenated oils to some degree, yada yada). They had some questions as to studies supporting why I deemed artificial sweeteners as hindering weight loss, and my claims for fibrous foods in weight loss.

I did send them an email referencing the studies, but here's what I wanted to say:

IT WORKS!

Last week, a sixty-year-old woman who has been taking my nutrition class for 11 weeks approached me. Here's the deal: since she's taken my class, she's cut out meat and dairy and upped her fiber. She also quit taking vitamin supplements. So far she's lost 12 pounds, gotten rid of the sinus headaches she woke up to every morning, is no longer hypoglycemic, and has significantly lower blood pressure.

A few weeks before, I spoke at a workplace for the second time in four months. I met three women who told me they had lost 30, 20 and 11 pounds, respectively. One told me after one week of changing her diet, she woke up feeling better than she has in years - and has felt that way ever since.

A few years ago, one man somehow got my home phone number and left me his experience on my message machine. He's a retired dentist, and his daughter gave him my book after attending my seminar at a dental conference in Las Vegas. At age 60, he just wanted me to know that he'd lost 31 pounds and kept it off for a year and a half.

There are so many more stories like this, I could fill up cyberspace. But all to say: IT WORKS.

For those of you who'd like more evidence, a recent study published in Obesity Journal show it too. They found overweight, post-menopausal women lost significantly more weight over a two-year period on a vegan diet vs. the National Cholesterol Education Program diet (a low-fat, "healthy", dietitian-type kind of diet). In fact, the women following the vegan diet lost an average of 11 pounds the first year, and 7 pounds the second year. So I guess after menopause women don't "have to" just put on weight. YEAH!

snake oil in the news

2008-11-10T15:18:00.000-08:00

For those of you who didn't read the paper today... ignorance is not bliss.

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE
AP Medical Writer
Published: Sunday, Nov. 09, 2008
NEW ORLEANS -- Vitamins C and E - pills taken by millions of Americans - do nothing to prevent heart disease in men, one of the largest and longest studies of these supplements has found.

Vitamin E even appeared to raise the risk of bleeding strokes, a danger seen in at least one earlier study.

Besides questioning whether vitamins help, "we have to worry about potential harm," said Barbara Howard, a nutrition scientist at MedStar Research Institute of Hyattsville, Md.

She has no role in the research but reviewed and discussed it Sunday at an American Heart Association conference. Results also were published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association.

About 12 percent of Americans take supplements of C and E despite growing evidence that these antioxidants do not prevent heart disease and may even be harmful.

Male smokers taking vitamin E had a higher rate of bleeding strokes in a previous study, and several others found no benefit for heart health.

As for vitamin C, some research suggests it may aid cancer, not fight it. A previous study in women at high risk of heart problems found it did not prevent heart attacks.

Few long-term studies have been done. The new one is the Physicians Health Study, led by Drs. Howard Sesso and J. Michael Gaziano of Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston.

It involved 14,641 male doctors, 50 or older, including 5 percent who had heart disease at the time the study started in 1997. They were put into four groups and given either vitamin E, vitamin C, both, or dummy pills. The dose of E was 400 international units every other day; C was 500 milligrams daily.

After an average of eight years, no difference was seen in the rates of heart attack, stroke or heart-related deaths among the groups.

However, 39 men taking E suffered bleeding strokes versus only 23 of the others, which works out to a 74 percent greater risk for vitamin-takers.

******
So, if you just happen to know anyone who is still taking supplements, thinking they're warding off a flu or heart disease - please save them some money, and possibly their life by forwarding this to them.

drinking water prevents bladder, colon and breast cancer

2008-11-05T15:08:00.000-08:00

As some of you know, I am currently working on book number two. And yes, it's a lot of work. But the best part is citing studies that affirm everything I preach: being reminded of just how POWERFUL our diet is.

Yesterday I came across this study about the power of water in preventing cancer in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. To read the entire study, click here.

The first study referenced shows that water intake plays a significant role in preventing cancer of the bladder. After following almost 48,000 people for 10 years, researchers found those in the highest quintile, or one-fifth, of fluid intake had a 49% lower incidence of bladder cancer than those in the lowest quintile.

The second study referenced a hospital-based case-control study on a total of 163 patients (age 33 to 80 years) with confirmed primary colorectal cancer in Taiwan. The odds ratio for colorectal cancer among men in the lowest tertile, or one-third, of water consumption was approximately four-fold that among men in the highest tertile. In other words, the men that drank the least water had 4x the risk of developing colon cancer.

Finally, when comparing a group of women with newly diagnosed confirmed breast cancer (n = 44) with controls (n = 55), researchers found a 4.7-fold difference in the odds of exposure between cases and controls.

Isn't it amazing to think something so simple can save your life? I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty thirsty right now.

protein and cancer

2008-10-28T08:05:00.000-07:00

Finally, research is getting to the heart of the matter. How can we eat in such a way to avoid cancer and live longer?

According to a recent study published in the journal, Aging Cell(2008 Oct;7(5):681-7), reducing dietary protein intake resulted in a significant reduction of IGF-1 (Insulin-like Growth Factor). The study found evidence that protein intake is a "key determinant of circulating 1GF-1 levels in humans, and suggest that reduced protein intake may become an important component of anticancer and anti-aging dietary interventions."

Now, first, let's make it clear that Americans are guilty of eating about double the protein they need. It's estimated we only need about .8 grams protein/kilogram body weight. That adds up to around 40-60 grams protein a day.

But what about this IGF-1? How does it lead to cancer?

According to an article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ 2000;321:847-848 7oct00):

"The role of insulin-like growth factor-I in promoting cancer has been investigated for many years, but recently the quality and quantity of evidence has increased. In particular, a number of prospective studies using stored blood collected up to 14 years before the onset of disease have shown associations between insulin-like growth factor-I and prostate cancer, premenopausal breast cancer, and colon cancer (emphasis mine).
The risk of cancer is higher among people with raised concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I..."

So, studies show consuming more protein raises IGF-1 levels which cause different types of cancers. Conversely, decreasing protein to reasonable levels (.8 grams/kg body weight), significantly lowers IGF-1 levels, thereby preventing cancer and other diseases of aging.

Sounds pretty simple. Let's eat to fight cancer.

preventing breast cancer with soybeans

2008-10-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

I am so happy to report an encouraging study published last week in the International Journal of Cancer (October, 2008). Not only are the study results positive, but they help put to rest the milk industry-sponsored paranoia about soy.

Dr. Takeshi Suzuki, at Aichi Cancer Center Research Institute in Nagoya (Japan), and associates conducted a study of 678 women with breast cancer and 3,390 controls matched by age and menopausal status with no history of cancer.

The researchers "observed a significantly reduced risk" of breast cancer among the women who ate the most soy and were ER-positive, HER2 (Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2)-negative or both.

For women who ate the most soy compared with those who ate the least amount the odds of having ER-positive breast cancer were reduced by 26 percent and for women with HER2-negative breast cancer, the reduced risk was 22 percent.

In their own words, the researchers concluded, "These findings are biologically plausible, and suggest a potential benefit of soybean products in the prevention of breast cancer."

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I know this is the opposite of what most of us hear about soy: that it increases the risk of breast cancer. But remember, the estrogen receptor sites on our cells are very good at discerning "real" estrogen vs. plant, or phyto-estrogens in soy and other plant foods. Studies show that phytoestrogens can block those cell receptor sites, keeping real estrogen from entering into our cells - which is how it works to lower breast cancer risk.

This in not an area of controversy in scientific circles, but it is in the public arena due to vested interests.

So please don't be afraid of unprocessed soy products like soybeans (edaname), tempeh, tofu, or soymilk. It won't increase your risk of breast cancer or make your husband and sons less masculine. Plant estrogens work differently than endogenous (internally-produced) estrogen. Which is good to know, since plant estrogens are found in fruit and vegetables, in addition to soybeans and other legumes!

what we know now

2008-10-14T20:18:00.000-07:00

This morning I gave a talk about protein to a group of school kids. Since protein seems to be a such a source of confusion in the public arena, I thought I'd post write some of the notes here. If some of this is a tad remedial for you, I apologize, although I bet there's at least one person you know who has yet to learn this information - so feel free to pass it along.

We used to believe (and many people still continue, unfortunately, to believe) that meat was the ideal source of protein since it contains all 9 essential amino acids. If someone was brave enough to avoid eating meat, they would have to tediously work at "food combining" foods like beans, which contain certain amino acids but not all, with rice, thus creating a "perfect protein". Now we know this is unnecessary, and it is almost impossible to eat enough calories and be deficient in protein. In fact, worldwide, protein deficiency is extremely rare unless there is a chronic shortage of calories, which is termed "Protein-Calorie Malnutrition".

We used to believe that since muscle is made of protein, the more protein we eat, the stronger we become. Now we know this is far from true - for if it were, Americans would be the world's most muscular people, which we are far from. In fact, most people in the U.S. eat about 2x the protein they need, primarily from meat and other animal foods, such as eggs. Eating too much animal protein is dangerous, and causes all kinds of chronic disease, such as:

1) Osteoporosis and Kidney Stones. Sulfuric and uric acid from excess animal protein causes bones to leach calcium as a buffer. Calcium is lost from bones and often piles up in the kidney on exit, causing kidney stones.

2) Arterial Plaque. Animal protein gives us higher levels of homocysteine, a derivative of the amino acid methionine. Homocysteine damages artery lining, causing the body to build plaque as an emergency response. Diets high in animal protein cause continual plaque via homocysteine.

3) Heterocyclic Amines (HCA's). When meat is cooked at high temperature, creatine (an amino acid only found in meats, including fish and poultry) combines with other amino acids to create HCA's, which are known carcinogens. HCA's are highest in meats that are fried, broiled, BBQ'd, charred or "well done", although they occur at lower levels in most meats.

4) High amounts of animal protein are associated with cancer. In the book, The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell, PhD, we learn all about this. I've written on this blog about Dr. Campbell's studies, which are downright flabbergasting. I highly recommend this book to every person interested in preventing cancer through diet.

5) Bioaccumulation. Animal protein comes from foods at the top of the food chain - where are the toxins concentrate, including mercury, pesticides, dioxin and PCB's.

6) High amounts of animal protein are associated with decreased fertility in women. Again, too much to cover here - although I've written on this topic in a previous post - read the book, The Fertility Diet, by Walter Willett, PhD.

7) Animal protein has no fiber. If you've spent much time on this blog, you know that fiber is instrumental in preventing diabetes, colon health - and weight loss. Americans aren't overweight just because we overeat, but because we don't eat enough fiber. It is near impossible to consume the recommended amount (25-40 grams/day) of fiber when animal protein is a large part of your diet.

On the flip side:

Legumes, such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts and seeds not only have plenty of protein, but are loaded with fiber and antioxidants. Eating a diet high in plant protein, such as legumes, cause weight loss and prevents disease, including cancer.

Now we know: Beans Are the New Meat. So share the wealth.

what's fishy in vaccines

2008-10-07T15:30:00.000-07:00

I wasn't going to write on this topic. I really wasn't. I said I wouldn't write on something outside my area of expertise, which obviously is nutrition and not medicine. But then I got this great email request to share my thoughts on vaccines... and of course I did. Then I thought - what exactly makes someone an "expert" on the relationship between vaccines and chronic disease? Certainly not just a medical degree - so why not?

Actually, my best friend and mother of three young children is much closer to an expert than I am. Her Master's degree is in Microcellular Biology and she has been exploring the relationship between vaccines and pathology whenever she has time.

Not long ago, my friend had grandparents watch her children for a week that she devoted to reviewing current research on this subject. While her research is nowhere near complete at this time, she did find some interesting information about the amount of aluminum in vaccines.

One conclusion was there is a lot of aluminum in most vaccines. More than is considered safe for infants (there is a maximum safety level of aluminum for infants on IV drips - and it's MUCH less than the amount we find in the average single vaccination).

And since aluminum salts tend to act as antacids, this could change the environment of the gut lining and cause dysbiosis (an imbalance of beneficial intestinal flora and harmful bacteria). As I've written ad nauseum in this blog, dysbiosis is how we develop "Leaky Gut Syndrome", which is the doorway to just about all food intolerances, as well as auto-immune disorders, including - but certainly not limited to - autism, ADD and ADHD.

So there's that.

Also, aluminum stores in bone marrow, precisely where the body produces white blood cells, or "immune cells". So if tiny tykes are storing aluminum in the same organs responsible for a healthy immune system, it seems that this just might have something to do with auto-immune disorders.

Just some things to think about.

I'm really not an expert, so if this is a subject of concern to you, I advise you to do your own research and draw your own conclusions. I do suggest however, that you ask yourself exactly what does make someone an expert on this subject. Since there is so little research on aluminum salts in vaccines and Leaky Gut Syndrome, I find I'm wondering that myself.